Of Morlocks and Eloi
by Pookyhorse
Summary: An orphaned Eloi is adopted by a soft-hearted Morlock, warping the ever-lasting instincts and the world around her. Here she meets the Time Traveler. Her and her friend Mog, the Morlock, must find a way to protect their ill-fated underworld colonies.
1. Chapter 1 Little Shikha

***NOTE* This is more based off of George Pal's 1960 flick rather then the book or the updated version of the movie. Though the Eloi themselves are more like described in the book. Sorry about any writing errors. I'm still learning how to write properly haha.**

Chapter 1. Little Shikha

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The Eloi pulled around the bend of an ancient trail worn into the rock from many centuries of use. Their entire journey was all the same as their very ancestors. The night journey that never seems to end for the small breed except individual death. It was their destiny. This very thought ingrained in all their minds. Artificially bred for their small, fine and blonde features, the Eloi were very beautiful creatures.

Behind them came another creature that dominated their every whim, the Morlocks. With heavy leather whips made from the skins of the Eloi, they cued them down the worn trail quietly with only the occasional crack of the whip. There was only one purpose why this trail is taken. The Eloi, being very beautiful, were also very stupid. They had degraded throughout the many millennia from their original human ancestors. For only one purpose they still existed and that was for food. The Morlocks bred them to be carefree and distant from their environment. Eloi totally depended on the night creatures to pamper them.

One pregnant Eloi female had become a meal for a mated pair of Morlocks. A broad gentle-natured female called Marn and her heavily scarred mate Fown. The pregnant Eloi was killed swiftly with no regard to her swollen stomach. Too many centuries of feasting on Eloi made the night breed care very little. Strangely enough the Morlocks were also descendants of mankind as were the Eloi. Two separate branches of human creatures evolved in totally different worlds.

"Fown, look at this." The Morlock female pulled a bloody baby out from the Eloi's open uterus and clutched it in her mutated hands. The baby just fit in her palms. It was not the fact that finding an Eloi fetus was surprising but one that was alive and ready for the world. Which in fact the little Eloi baby was already fully developed and just hours from being born.

If not for a twist of fate or even a spark of pity the story would have ended here, in the stomach of a Morlock. The female had no children of her own as she had failed to conceive any healthy ones. If she did it was normally a stillborn or miscarriage. It was always greatly discouraging to her as to any female. Now here she had a tiny screaming newborn in her hands, begging for somebody to take care of it.

The ugly, greenish face stared down at the baby with thoughtful concern. Finally she gazed over to her mate and announced with glowing eyes. "I want this baby. It's a girl. I have always wanted a girl Fown."

The hideous male furrowed his heavily rolled brow and shook his three-fingered hand at his desperate mate. "No Marn. She is an Eloi and only for food. She is an easy meal."

The female was already won over of course. Her motherly instincts have over-ridden any possible yearning to feast on the helpless child now. She clutched the filthy Eloi child to her pale breast and glared at Fown. "No. She is mine and I will take care of her."

"You are being silly." Fown stuffed his face with Eloi liver. Even if you could raise her the other Morlocks will not allow it. Especially not now that the Eloi are rising up against us with their new master, the Time Traveler. Plus Eloi live in daylight and on fruits. Not on meat and damp, dark air."

The half-blind male had made several good points but it was no use. Nothing could break the strong bond now formed between the two oddities. Too joyful with her new bundle she got up and ventured back into their own private cave. It was small enough just for a few Morlocks to stay comfortable in. On a blanket woven from a special soft plant she laid the Eloi baby upon. If the baby was merely a year or two older human of our time she would have screamed in horror from the ugly monster that gleamed down at her with glowing orbs and unusually long, jutted front teeth. This was her first image and in her undeveloped mind that relied purely on instinct for the time being, she clung to the image and smell of her mother.

The Morlock mother's newfound feelings and with the help of certain plants she started to lactate. The near-starving baby drunk furiously in the wrapped arms of her mother. For her sake Marn started to add fruit to her own diet since she realized a herbivore would not last long on milk from a carnivorous creature. Being since long evolved from having a staple diet of fruit on the menu, Marn found them somewhat distasteful. They weren't revolting, she could put up with it.

Her mate shook his head and clipped his chisel-like teeth at the newborn that had now taken a place in his home. "Never thought ever that my own mate would take in an Eloi for her own child. I would have imagined Eloi flying before that."

After a few weeks Marn finally decided to come up with a name for her baby since it was still going strong and healthy. "I have been thinking very long for a way to call you my little girl." She held the squirming baby in her two hands like the way a child would hold some pet frog. "I shall call you Shikha. It means Flame, which your kind reminds me of. They are not afraid of the flames. It is a very old name. Passed down from our ancestors who were once one."

"Now you are naming your pet? Interesting. I will tell you this now. When she manages to grow up fat and broad I will eat her for dinner. I will promise you that. As there is no other future for an Eloi." Fown informed her.

Marn scooted away and hissed at him with exposed teeth. "You dare do such a thing and you will find the place next to your bed cold."

"Oh? We will see Marn." Fown looked at her firmly. "I am not saying it to be cruel. It is the fate of every one of them. It has always been that way and will always be that way. Plus she will grow up being very stupid. It's the way they are bred."

"No Fown, We will see if she is stupid or not." The anxious mother stroked her baby's blond head with a finger. "Look at the Time Traveler and what he did with the other Eloi, they suddenly had fire in their eyes. As if it was hiding all along. Suppressed and nothing more was their instinct to fight."

The male Morlock leaned over and stared into his mate's glowing eyes. "And you think that is a good thing? To try and raise an Eloi on our knowledge? It is too great for an Eloi. Sure they might be able to rise up and fight a small bit but that means nothing. They are still very stupid animals."

"They are merely light Morlocks." Marn whispered and cooed at her baby again. "We were all one many centuries ago you know."

"Then yes but not now. It is their fault that they went back to the sun. Some of us couldn't." Fown heaved his heavy figure off the ground and rubbed his round stomach full of Shikha's mother. "It was their fault that they decided to fall to our grasp and to become lazy. We are the future. Not our frail cousins."

Marn raised her brow and a gentle smile lit upon her mouth. "So? That was the first time I had ever seen you admit the fact that you are related to the skinny animals that we feast from."

Fown grunted and pulled his loin cloth back up against his waist. "Look she's changing everything already. I do remind you that you don't cling so tightly to that baby. She won't last long without much sun. She will get sick."

"So you actually care for our little one?" Marn rubbed it in. "More surprises."

Fown waved his hand at her and snorted, making his way back out from the cave to work in the caverns. Marn peered down at Shikha and nodded in agreement to her mate's advice. It was a very good idea that she would get sunlight.

"I know exactly where to put you." The Morlock ventured towards an old abandoned part of some caverns. Inside the dry place was old equipment everywhere. A good century ago the Morlocks used to raise some Eloi babies in special light systems for study on improving the breed for better meat. At least here nobody would suspect a baby and there would be no dangers of the outside world. The equipment was still in working order. Marn shoved it to a hidden crevice just incase a curious Morlock child comes to play around in the rubbish. It was mainly here where Shikha spent most of her time as a baby and a toddler.

When she grew older and could just venture around outside in the real world was when the other Morlocks began to notice her. Of course it was out of place to see some little blonde toddler scampering about from the tiny cracks of the cave. Her mother taught her to squeeze herself between the small cracks where the adult Morlocks could not reach her. It would take a good two full years till the night dwellers finally grew to tolerate their Eloi addition to the pack. It was only tolerance and not love. Still she had to stay under the watchful eye of her mother just incase a hungry Morlock decided to come too close. Fown also in return watched over his mate to make sure no other tried to overtake her for Shikha. As much as he disliked the blonde child he still had great love for his mate. The last thing he wanted to see her was in great mourning.

Little Shikha had a hard time moving around in the caverns as most of the areas were pitch dark. Only the glowing eyes of the Morlocks scuffling around her were the things she could see. It wasn't until she discovered the areas where the cave dwellers managed the machines and other equipment that she noticed a small amount of light reflecting off the glowing machinery and the running water. Here she would sit and watch the machinery glow gentle colors of orange and blue wave and bounce. After she grew bored of that she would play in the water till the exhausted Morlocks would chase her away. Often she would try and sneak around the machinery, thinking she was invisible to them since she could barely see them herself. She proved wrong in all places and decided to question her mother.

She raised her arms towards her, asking to be picked up. Marn cradled her in her hairy arms and grunted. Shikha spoke to her in their animal-like grunts and groans since it was the only language she knew.

"Momma why is it that they can spot me and I can't?" She motioned her fingers around at the working Morlocks.

"Because you can't see in the dark like we can." Marn smiled. "You are a light dweller."

"Why? I thought I was the same as everybody else." Shikha went on. The blonde child had actually never seen her own reflection and imprinted that she had the same gruesome features as those around her. It was too dark for her to notice that she grew no white hair down her arms and legs or that she sported five fingers instead of three. There was many things she didn't know of.

"You will understand later Shikha." Marn finished. "Now it's dusk outside but the clouds have moved in. It's time to go up."

"To catch an Eloi?" The little child asked, with eager she clapped her hands. Marn nodded quickly, feeling slightly concerned how Shikha was so eager to seeing a slaughter. Maybe it was because it was her same breed. Poor little Eloi thought she was a Morlock.

After the feast Shikha went off to explore again. She didn't like meat naturally and only ate the fruits her mother brought from above. Her little hands and feet were conditioned to the rough surface of the rock. Her sense of smell and hearing was stronger then normal. After she reached the machinery again she searched for a faintly lighted spot and sat there. Her poor vision didn't catch the four Morlock children that stood close by. Only when their glowing eyes came closer did she realize she was not alone.

"Hey look. It's that little Eloi. Everybody calls her morsel because she should be." One of the children finally grunted at her and motioned towards his friends. They all chuckled and pointed at her with their thick fingers and gawked. Shikha could just barely make out their round faces and huge eyes.

"Leave me alone!" She finally worked up the courage to talk to the other children. "All of you are just cowards anyways. Plus I am not an Eloi."

"Oh? Us cowards?" The boy placed his hands on his hips and threw back his shoulders in a proud gesture. "Actually we are very brave! We don't allow anybody to push us around." He poked a hand in her face. "Of course you are an Eloi. What else do you think you are?"

"I am a Morlock like you are too." She yelled, getting up and standing as tall as she could. Her small stature just barely reached the other's chins.

At this response the boys all busted out laughing and shook their white hairy heads. Shikha shrunk back and tightly clutched her fists. A surge of anger gave her legs power and she rushed at the boy that stood in front of her. With a great shove she slammed the Morlock child to the ground and slammed her fists on his chest. The other boys only protested and encouraged their friend to beat her to a pulp.

With a heavy lift of his powerful legs, the boy kicked her off of him and grabbed her wrists. "Silly morsel. You aren't very brave."

"Neither is picking on a little girl," Another voice boomed over them. Marn had come to the rescue, she stood over the boys and grabbed the one that was fighting Shikha by the hair. "Silly Mog, you should run along now before I put a nice handprint over your bum."

Shikha squinted at the boy. So that was his name. Mog returned the glare and shuffled off into the darker parts of the cavern. After they had gone Marn looked down at her charge and shook her head. "Shouldn't let yourself be cornered. You run and hide."

"But mom, they are small and like kids too. Why should I hide? I want a friend momma." The blonde child protested and yanked on her mother's clothing.

Marn sighed, it was true. Her child couldn't be lonely for the rest of her life. She needs to find friends. Better yet she should find allies, ones that will protect her. It was actually a good idea. Who would be her friend though? Not many takers for the little Eloi child. Most only threatened to eat her as Mog did.


	2. Chapter 2 A Friend

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Chapter 2. A Friend

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Shikha went out to have her own adventures in not time again after the first turmoil with the young males she had met a few days earlier on. The first meeting she had with them resulted in her increased confidence. Perhaps today she will come across them again.

"No Shikha, not today you aren't," Her mother had out thought her and scooped her frail body up in her arms before the child could take a step out from her home. "It is time to go outside now."

The outside world was such an intriguing place to her. She often stared up at the stars and the bright moon. She wondered why there wasn't any roof up there like in the caves. Shikha once again wandered off from her mother's side and crawled on top of a boulder with a few berries in her fist to munch on while the stars glistened like a side show for her.

In the nearby woods she could hear the young Morlocks playing around between the trees. She heard the familiar voices of Mog and his friends. This time though she heard him calling out in distress. She leaped off the rock and followed the sound behind a few wispy trees to see Mog being ganged up on by the other boys. The poor Morlock's nose was bleeding and his body had scraps here and there. Despite all this the boy seemed to be defiant against them, popping them hard against the faces when he was close enough. After a few minutes the other boys gave up on Mog and left him there to tend to his own wounds.

Shikha finally showed her face. "Why are you getting beat up Mog?" She asked him, afraid to come any closer.

Mog's eyes grew wide and he picked himself off the ground and swept the dirt off of his white hair. "Oh we were just playing. I won of course." He sneered and puffed out his chest. "Did you see all the punches I landed on them? Taught them a lesson."

"You were bullied." Shikha corrected him. She could see through the lies he attempted to shield himself with. "Like you tried to with me, silly Mog."

The young Morlock's eyes burned brighter then before and he crossed his arms. "Whatever. Plus they are my brothers. We were all born a year apart. I'm the youngest so we are just playing." He allowed some truth to slide out.

After a few long seconds of straight forth staring Mog finally charged forward and shoved her into a fine pile of dirt. He stood above her and chuckled like a fat hog. Shikha got up and brushed her skirt off and glared at him. She walked close to him with a handful of dirt and when he didn't take notice, shoved it down the back of his loin cloth.

"Ackkkkkkk!" Mog sputtered and shook his clothing till he made sure the last grain had fallen out. "Oh you silly Eloi." He bent over and searched for damp mud.

"What are you looking for? Did you drop something?" She scanned the dark ground.

"Yeah I surely did drop something." He closed his hand around a thick glob of mud. "Oh here I have you a present!"

Shikha's sudden smile was met with a slap of warm mud across her face. Stunned, she rolled over backwards across the grass and laid there staring up at the stars again. She slowly lifted her head to see Mog bent over her with a concerned expression. She carried herself across the grass with wobbly legs. Mog followed her with a big smile across his face.

"I sure taught you!" He said proudly. "That's going to leave a red mark!"

Shikha wiped her face and smeared the mud down her shirt. "No you didn't because it didn't hurt at all." She crossed her arms and stuck her tongue at him. "Weakling."

"Me a weakling? You are an Eloi. Father says they're only good for eating!" Mog smirked back with a remark.

The blonde child no longer felt like playing. "I am a Morlock. Not no stinking Eloi! Why do you say such mean things? I haven't done anything to you!"

Mog's smile disappeared. "Well it is true. Have you ever seen yourself before? You do look like one of those Eloi's."

Shikha lifted her fingers to her face and stroked the contours of her features. Is that the reason why she can't see like the others can? Rubbing her arms, she also noticed she had no long hair on her arms like Mog did. Maybe Mog was right?

"I never seen what I look like." She breathed. "Oh Mog maybe you are right. But why haven't I been eaten yet? My mom is a Morlock and so is my daddy. Maybe I'm just messed up?"

"I don't know. You do look like an Eloi. Have you ever seen a living Eloi before?" Mog picked at her fine hair and poked at her fair skin. "They live out in the light where we can't."

"I sometimes go outside when mother lets me. I never wander off though." Shikha pushed his hand away and curled the hair behind her ears. "Do you know where they live?"

"No but my father does. He goes and hunts them. They go down that road over there." Mog pointed off into the dark distance where the blonde child's eyes could not pierce. "We could go check it out and see if they live over there."

Shikha shivered at the sound of the soft breeze sifting through the leaves, leaving her an eerie feeling deep inside. "Well okay but only for a while since our parents will be looking for us."

The two children secretly made their ways across the brushy field and down the rock path where the Eloi were lead to their final destination. Shikha followed closely behind Mog as she could not see hardly at all. She was used to shuffling her feet along the ground to avoid stepping on any prickly greens that grew from the fluffy grass.

"Mog I don't think I can see hear any Eloi's." She finally spoke up after a few minutes of walking. Over the hill they believed some village of the Eloi might be hidden but there was nothing but more trees and bushes. "I only see many eyes."

"It's my father and his friends." Mog looked around at her. "I don't think he's hunting though since we just ate yesterday anyways."

That was another difference between them and her. She needed food constantly several times a day. The Morlocks only feasted once a week and it lasted for them. The small child couldn't understand how they could stand holding out on food that long. The Morlocks had very slow metabolisms that rendered them constantly chubby and slow. She on the other hand was quite slender and was all over the place. It was troublesome for her mother, who had to try and find ways to make her fall asleep.

The little child felt her feet mush into something soft. It's juices ran in-between her toes. The sweet fragrance of ground berries rose up to entice her. She immediately bent down and picked at the plump bumpy berries from clumps of soft leaves. Mog turned around and wrinkled his nose.

"That's disgusting. You are just so weird. Don't you notice as well that you don't eat meat like us? Only fruit and vegetables."

Shikha almost choked on a berry. He was right. Suddenly her appetite disappeared. "I must find my mom. Goodbye Mog."

Mog waved at her and ventured towards his father. Shikha followed back home in silence, hoping that her mother would be near by to comfort her and tell her that she was a Morlock like everybody else.

"Momma I have a question." Shikha asked when she was being tucked away in bed. "Do I look like everybody else here? Am I really a Morlock?"

Marn sighed and glanced around. "You will understand when you are older dear."

"No momma I want to know now. Mog says I look just like the Eloi. Is that what I am?" Shikha leaned up from her bed and grabbed a handful of her mother's long hair on her arm.

Marn stroked her face and nodded. "Yes Shikha you are. Unlike the others you are very special. Don't worry about what you were born as. You are very much a Morlock." The look on her daughter's face didn't seem to be too won over by her response. "How about tomorrow I teach you some things that the other children teach? So you can be very smart."

The child's eyes glowed like pearls. "Me learn like the others? Oh mom will I be eaten?"

"No. You are safe here. Very special you are and that is true." She patted her head. "Did you meet any friends yet?"

Shikha then remembered Mog and nodded vigorously. "Oh yes! Remember Mog? We both played together outside. He threw mud in my face and I pushed him down. Then we went to play in the woods." She then remembered something else. "Mom why is Mog pushed around by his brothers? They gave him lots of booboos."

"That's because Mog is adopted. His other brothers know this and don't like him often." Marn pushed the sheet back over Shikha's body.

"Mog never told me that." She clutched onto her mother's large fingers and stared up at the ceiling.

"That's because Mog doesn't like anybody to know. Now keep that a secret. Can you now?" She gave her forehead a nuzzle before laying down on a sheet beside her.

"Of course I can keep secrets." She yawned. "I want to keep Mog as a friend forever and ever. My own friend."


	3. Chapter 3 The Hunt of the Eloi

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**Chapter 3. The Hunt of The Eloi

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Grasping her mother's hand tightly, Shikha paddled alongside her mother across the soft grass in the night air. It was time for the weekly hunt only this time it was very special for the little child as she got a chance to attend.

Shikha was now ten years old and nearly full grown but with her short stature she stood barely four feet tall. This reason because of her breed rather then poor upbringing. She was the same size of a five year old Morlock child. Her size gave other children the advantage to bully her around when she lurked by herself. Only the stout Mog was friendly towards her if not a little rough with her. Being quite used to the fact now that she was an Eloi and the usual scene of the towering Morlocks it didn't bother her.

"Hey Shikha." Mog jogged up next to her and threw a gentle punch at her narrow shoulder. "Aren't you all excited?"

"Of course." She smiled at him with warm, blue eyes. In fact she was quite nervous. How would these Eloi be like? Would they look just like her? She had never seen a living Eloi, only slaughtered ones that were so indistinguishable that she couldn't see their features. "Mom decided I was old enough now."

"Dad says in a few more years I could kill my own Eloi." Mog laughed out loud and stomped on the ground. "I can't wait to sink my teeth in one! Maybe I can try today."

The sound of that made the small child's skin shiver. She kept forgetting that she was also an Eloi. Maybe someday they would all turn against her, even Mog. She dropped her eyes to the ground and picked out the faint reflection of the moon on the tall brushes. If there was any question that haunted her to ask it was how she was here and not with the other Eloi.

"We could play "Find the Eloi" if you want." Mog smiled, flashing his jutting incisors. "I promise I won't peek on you."

"That game is so hard. I can't see in the dark like you can. Plus you always close your eyes so I can't follow their glow." Shikha grunted, waving her hands in a gesture. "Maybe we can play another game! We can gather some ripe berries and smoosh them in your brothers hair."

Mog clapped his hands and nodded. "Oh that would be so funny. Lets!" He grabbed her hand and led her off in the dark. Marn rolled her eyes and sighed as she watched them go. She was very happy to see that her child had a friend. Even if it was only one.

After playing out their cruel game on Mog's brothers they both shot out into the woods to prevent the angry boys from chasing after them. The blonde child giggled and threw her hands into the air. "Did you see their faces? They so weren't expecting rotten fruit all over them."

Mog rubbed his hands together. "Oh that was so fun! I bet they went off to cry to momma." He brought his hands close to his face and took a whiff. Sharply he drew them away and winced. "Ugh that smells awful!"

"It will take a few days till they get that smell out from their hair." Shikha climbed over the top of the hill. "Just imagine Mog. You have to sleep with them."

"Oh no!" Mog frowned. "I forgot about that."

When they made it over the top they saw the Morlocks snaking the chosen Eloi around the old trail. Shikha's eyes widen and she drifted closer to the fine creatures. They were small and fine-built like she was and their hair was blond. Their faces shown brightly in the moon's light as listless and lazy-eyed expressions. With the Morlocks coming behind them with long whips and shoves she expecting them to be fleeing wild-eyed about. The Eloi didn't seem to care at all of where they were heading. So uninterested they were that the stray blonde child standing hand-in-hand with a Morlock was nothing more then a passing glance.

She hadn't realized how long she was holding her breath till the last one passed by. She gasped and brushed the sweat from her forehead. "Wow Mog. They don't seem so scary like I expected."

"They look yummy." Mog drooled. "I can't wait to eat some warm flesh."

Shikha found her mother again and followed her back home. "Momma is this where I came from? Like this? I don't remember taking this path."

"Your parents did but not you." Marn simply answered. "Now no more questions it's time to eat." She opened her sack and let Shikha pick berries and small melons along the way for her own supper.

Back in their own cave she sat down in her mother's lap as they waited for Fown to pick out an Eloi to slaughter. At the moment he came in with one freshly killed Shikha flung from her mother's lap and sat in the corner with her fruits. For some reason she never felt comfortable being around them when they feasted. Their snarling expressions and long teeth snapping at the meat was almost too much for her. Morlocks didn't waste their time on manners. When it was time to eat they went on to it.

Shikha screamed loudly when she saw the dead Eloi male raise his head and cry loudly. He was only knocked unconscious and had woken up from the massive pain in what was left of his gut. Blood spurted from his mouth as his tongue lolled out and his head collapsed again. His body convulsed wildly and his breath came in and out in sharp rasps.

"Finish him off." Marn stared down at him with hard eyes. Fown pulled the Eloi's head close to his face and sunk his longest incisors into the blonde man's neck and snapped the spinal cord. The Eloi moved no more and laid still with bulging eyes. Shikha was laying face down on the warm floor to attempt not seeing and smelling anymore of this grotesque affair. Never in her life was she so afraid.

After the dinner Marn cleaned her face up and gathered Shikha in her arms. Staring down at her with soft eyes she stroked her blonde hair. "I am sorry you had to see that. Don't think of us wrongly. It happens sometimes."

"Do you not like fruit?" Shikha picked up a berry and offered it to her. "They taste so good."

"Not often. Only in desperate times but we prefer meat." Marn cuddled her to her breast and sighed. "Don't worry. Next time Fown will make sure it is dead."

Fown rolled his eyes to the ceiling and huffed. "Should have just left his eyes closed."

"Would you ever eat me? I'm an Eloi too." The child rubbed a finger down her mother's greenish skin. "I don't know why else you would want me for."

"Of course not. You are our daughter." Marn picked up Shikha's fruit and placed it back in a bowl. "Nobody will harm you." She looked over her shoulder at Fown. "Is that right dear?"

Her mate only snorted in response and laid down at one end of the cave for a nap. "I'm too full to chat. Now please be quiet and don't make so much noise."

Shikha always noticed how he never gave an answer to the question. She had asked it to him many times. She picked over her fruit one last time before taking her place next to her mother for their short nap. The child slept longer then any of the Morlocks did. It did bug Mog greatly when he wanted to play he would find her still asleep.

After a few hours Shikha slinked out from the cave entrance and went down the wide isle to the other caverns. She had adopted their slow, swinging walk that the Morlocks carried themselves as.

Mog suddenly appeared out from a crevice and grabbed her around the waist. Shikha, not realizing who it was, screamed and floundered about till she landed into the cold drinking water. The sound of his laughter brought a smile on her face.

"Mog you big meanie." She got up and wrung out her clothing. "That takes forever to dry. Now I'm gonna be dirty."

"So?" Mog chuckled. "Let's go drop rocks down the shafts again and see if we hear any angry Morlocks.

Shikha's eyes shifted when she saw four Morlock males gathered up behind them. She shrunk down and stiffened up, ready go hide in a crevice if they dare to advance. Luckily they were stuffed already and ignored her. One of them was Mog's father.

"Come on Mog. You and the others are making a journey now." He nodded and grabbed his son's hand. Mog stared at them in confusion. "You are grown up now and it's time you learned your place to work. Say goodbye to your friend."

Mog's shoulders sunk and he looked forlorn. He had long forgotten about the journey all the male Morlocks make to train them into adulthood. "Okay." He looked around at his friend for one last time and looked as if he was about to cry. "Goodbye Shikha. I hope we meet again someday."

The leave was so sudden that Shikha could only stand there staring out as they disappeared into the deep cavern. It was a temptation to follow but she knew better. To follow would mean a beating and probably an extra meal for them to squeeze in their overstuffed bellies. It was all silent except for the machinery echoing through the walls. She blocked them out and stared long and hard into the deep cavern alone. "Goodbye Mog. I hope I live to see you again."


	4. Chapter 4 The Escape

**Chapter 4. The Escape**

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Shikha sat above all the Morlocks on a stalagmite with a broken off top making it suitable to use as a seat. She barely spoke now to the others as she had no friends. Not since Mog had to leave for his adult journey in the deep caverns. Often she would sneak down and see if she could find him. Sadly to no avail could she recognize her friend and before she could find out further the males would chase after her.

It had been ten years since they were separated. Often she wondered if they would ever see each other again. Each year she had waited to just see his happy face peer through her cave to play more games. After eight years she had finally given up, either he had died or had moved on to find a mate. She sunk her head into her arms at the thought of a mate. Now that she was old enough those were new thoughts in her head. Even if he did come back would he recognize her? As a friend or just another meal?

Being an Eloi, Shikha had matured much faster then her underground cousins. The wait seemed to take forever then with the slower maturing ones around her.

She climbed down the stalagmite's mighty base and padded off into the darkness back home. A few hours a day she would climb to the daylight and sit under the trees as her mother advised it was good for her. She didn't feel like going out today. Not with her mood so low with the heavy thoughts.

Marn was pushing rocks aside from their home entrance. "Damn neighbors keep pushing gravel down here as if this was a dumping ground. I should have a word with them."

"Mom? Do you think I'd ever find a mate?" She climbed back inside and sat down on her sheet. "I am old enough now and the other females have already been paired up."

Marn scowled and shook her head. She was just as frustrated as Shikha but knew very well much better. "I have doubts any Morlock will pair with an Eloi." She realized how much her daughter hated being called that and changed it. "Well you are more like a day Morlock."

"Am I really that ugly? I wish I was pretty as the other females. They all have such nice long hair on their arms and nice teeth. Mine are just stumpy and my arms bare. Maybe that's why. I'm just not appealing enough."

Her mother stared down at her daughter. Shikha was only over four feet tall, short compared to the other Morlocks who stood easily over five foot. Some of the larger males towered to six foot if they weren't crouching down. There was no way that any of them would take a liking towards a skinny, stunted female.

"No Shikha I don't think you will. It's been too long for changes now. You would be only viewed as food instead of a potential mate," She would have suggested finding her own kind but the fate that all the Eloi met was just not an option for her only daughter. "but that doesn't mean there might be at least one male. Who knows. Not all Morlocks are the same. One might find you attractive."

The last words gave Shikha some hope. It would be nice to have somebody that actually loves you and would be willing to lay out their life to just keep you safe. She was tired of being alone and lingering in the shadows. In her years of waiting her mother had secretly taught her many things such as mathematics, arithmetic and science. Despite her eager to learn, Shikha's brain just couldn't comprehend all the information her mother fed her. Thousands of years of breeding to be stupid played it's toll on her. Another subject she had interest in was about the past. How the Morlocks and Eloi were once one creature called Man in the past. This intrigued her to great lengths that she had to bring up a conversation about it frequently.

"Mother. Let's talk about the past again. I want to learn more." She crossed her legs and clasped her hands together. "I wish we knew what Man looked like. Did he look like us? Or did he look like the Eloi?"

Marn sat down in front of her and chewed away at a bone, trying to get down the marrow. "Well we don't know. There isn't any pictures of our ancestors. But yes we both came from him. Now remember Shikha, don't go on around telling folks what I've told you. It isn't safe and nobody likes to hear the fact that Eloi are our cousins."

"I don't talk to anybody but you mom. Why did Morlocks go underground for?" She continued.

"Man had ruined the earth with his many wars and diseases. Wiping out everything in their path with their anger. Because the air was so dangerous to breath Man decided to go underground. After a few hundred years the earth was much clearer so some came back out to the light again. Only a few could as some were too accustomed to their underworld home. These that were above became the Eloi whom decided to try and take over us as slaves. I have no idea why really but the rest evolved into the Morlocks. Over time the Eloi became very lazy and depended on the Morlocks to do their work for them. They became detached from their world and very weak. Eventually the Morlocks took over and after the last of the animals died out we started to feast on them. We still take care of them and watch after their every needs. In return we bring them under and eat them."

"Now things have changed of course since the Traveler came. They say he came in some time machine from the past and decided to attempt to destroy our kind for feasting on the Eloi. He has killed many a family of Morlocks. I heard he looks like an Eloi only his hair is a different color and he is much taller and smarter." Marn snorted in disgust. "We hate him for disturbing our peace. We don't hate Eloi. They were simply our food but he thought otherwise."

Shikha's eyes grew wide at the mention of the Traveler. "Is he a man? Our ancestor?"

"I guess so. He seems primitive in his ways and his machine looks like something from the Atomic age. He tries to drive us out of our homes. What does he expect us to eat? Grass? If there was some other animal perhaps we wouldn't be eating Eloi."

Shikha nodded in agreement. "I may be an Eloi but I understand one must eat. I would hate it if somebody took my food away and scolded at me for just eating. It makes no sense. I don't think I like this Traveler very much if he thinks he can hurt my family." The blonde girl wrapped her arms around her mother's neck to hug her. "Mother I think I am a Morlock in some ways. I may be an Eloi in blood but I don't feel like one. I am smarter and know the language of the Morlocks."

"Of course you are. You are very special unlike other Eloi. If only Fown would finally warm up to you as well. I do thank him that up to now he isn't up to any nasty tricks." She gave her daughter a serious face. "Now remember that now you have reached maturity the other Morlocks may try to hunt you. Even my mate may try, remember he isn't attached to you like I am."

"I know mother. I will watch my back." Feeling much better Shikha decided to go out in the daylight again to collect some fruit. "I will be back later."

After her daughter had gone Fown entered and plopped down on the flour. Today was a long and hard today for him as usual. The smell of the Eloi child was ripe in the air, making him drool.

"Marn we have to talk." He motioned towards his busy mate. "She is old enough now."

"For a mate? Of course but I don't know who would want her truthfully." Marn answered.

"No Marn. She is old enough to eat now. I told you when you found her she would be eaten later."

"Never!" His mate gasped with wide eyes. "You know damn well how much she is to me! You think it's just fine to eat my own daughter! My own daughter damn you!"

"She is an Eloi and that's what she is bred for. You had your fun raising your pet. Damn I let you have her for twenty years. That is much longer then any Eloi is meant to live. It's her time now." He growled in return. "Tonight is the hunt and it will be her last night too."

Marn crawled out from the cave bawling. She couldn't believe such words from his mouth, such evil words. No it will not end this way, not her only daughter. She would die protecting her if it came to it. She saw no weak Eloi ready for a feast, only her own precious gift. She searched around the entrances of the cave till at last Shikha came down from the broad daylight with fruit in her handy sack. She smiled brightly when she saw her mother waiting for her. Her expression sagged when she saw her mother's hysterical face.

"Shikha you must leave." She pushed her down the caverns in the direction where the males made their journey. "You must go and find Mog. He is living a mile down that way. Straight on."

The blonde girl started to breath heavily. To be suddenly told to leave forever was unspeakable. "Why mother why? Did I do something bad?"

"No but Fown wants this to be your last night." She looked gravely into her eyes.

Shikha felt her legs melt beneath her. She wanted to faint and drift off forever in a dream. "But mom I can't find my way around the caves. It's too dark! Plus it's so hard to go down there! What if Mog has changed and wants to eat me!"

"I have no other option Shikha. It's either stay here and have Fown pick on your bones or one chance to escape." Marn bent down and nuzzled her forehead. "Perhaps we can meet again someday Shikha. Please be strong and remember everything that I taught you. You are different from the other Eloi and being eaten is not your fate."

Shikha sobbed quietly in her arms. "I will miss you dearly. I will go and find Mog and maybe he will remember me as a friend. I will go down the caverns even if I can't see. I will try mom."

"Good." Marn cried, she threw a glance back over her shoulder and saw Fown coming out from the entrance of their cave. "Run Shikha! Run for your life now!"

Shikha's breath stopped and she spun around without even thinking and took off down the path. She didn't pay no mind to any boulders or jutting rocks. It didn't matter now that a hungry Morlock was probably on her tail.


	5. Chapter 5 Mog

**Chapter 5. Mog

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**

It was many long hours as Shikha clambered her way blindly into the deep caverns. They were much longer then she had ever imagined. The floors were worn smooth by the centuries of Morlock feet and moving machinery. She had long forgotten about the hungry Fown and now her thoughts wandered over about Mog. It had been over ten years since she had last seen him. She felt a stirring in her heart just thinking about him. Her only friend in the whole world.

The water dripped in rhythm from the stalactites with each other making out almost like simple music. Shikha was also extremely nervous of the outcome. Mog was now a full grown and a probably large male who probably thinks of nothing else but to work and hunt the Eloi. This might just end up being her last night.

"I wonder what Mog looks like now." She thought to herself. "I hope he's gentle but I have doubts. He's no longer a child like in the past. What if he has a mate?" She almost halted but continued on slower then usual. Why did she care so much about that? More then likely because he wouldn't except some random female into his household and most definitely not his mate.

She slunk silently around the working Morlocks and stayed strictly to the shadows of the machines and boulders. Finally she passed into more darkness until a faint blue light shown around a narrow path. Further down was more Morlocks. Only these sounded extremely aggressive. Their great roars bellowed out and echoed throughout the entire cave system. She hid behind the rock formation and crept closer to the group of pissed Morlocks. It was a group of five males having a fuss over a new home. One of them was standing firm in front of the entrance and lowered himself to the ground for an attack. He threw back his head and roared again, exposing his chisel-like incisors and tusks. The other males each took a try to bring him down. The red-eyed male only swung at them. One well-aimed blow landed across the face of one male. A loud crack and a few bloody teeth flinging through the air caused the male to tumble over his rear and down into the darkness.

"Come on and try me!" The triumphant male snarled. "I can take all of you!"

The other males slowly backed off except one charged right for him and came in low. The other male waited for him and met him with equally heavy bulk and threw him to the ground. It was a deadly tussle as fang met skin and slashed. Nails ripped at each other's chest, leaving deep red grooves oozing dark blood. At last one of them threw the other male against the sharp rocks on the walls. The losing male coughed up blood and groaned loudly. No longer did he feel like fighting. He limped down the cave towards Shikha's direction and then collapsed. More blood spouted from his mouth and from his nose. He thrashed about and grabbed at his chest. Something inside had ruptured. A great artery perhaps and now he was drowning in his own blood. Shikha hid her face, not wanting to see the loser suffer.

"Anybody else? You all are weak like Eloi!" The winner bellowed and thumped his stomach. "I claim this home!"

Shikha looked over the rock again, the dying male moved no more. Only a large puddle of blood surrounded him and continued to grow wider. After the males had all retired and the winner disappeared into his cave she came out from hiding. The smell of fresh artery blood alarmed her senses. She wrinkled her nose and felt like regurgitating all over the floor. Such evil males! They fought with no fear of death apparently. She touched the dead male. His once glowing eyes were closed forever.

She peered down the entrance of the cave and without thinking climbed down it. Not a second did she ever think if this was the right male or if this was even a safe thing to do. When she came down she saw the glowing eyes staring back at her in the darkness. It was not till now that she realized what a foolish and deadly choice she just made. She felt her sweat grow cold and her body chilled as if all her own blood had shrunk back into the deepest parts of her body.

"Eloi." The male snarled and slowly approached. Shikha couldn't tell if he was simply checking her out and if he was stalking her.

"Mog?" She finally spoke to him.

The glowing eyes stopped and blinked. For a time being there was silence between them till the male responded. "Shikha?"

The blonde girl felt a heavy weight lift from her heart. She had followed the right male. She gasped and felt her breath go light again. "Mog. I was looking for you."

The male came close to her and touched her face. "Shikha. What brings you here?" He sounded so much more gentle then when he was fighting with the males. She was afraid he was completely aggressive. "Oh Mog, Fown wanted to eat me. Mother told me to find you. I wasn't sure if you wanted to-" She stopped short, realizing that she still didn't know if even Mog was looking at her as an easy feast.

Mog sat down and grabbed her hands to guide her closer to him. "To eat you." He finished for her. "You are my friend and I haven't forgotten about you. I'm sorry it has been so long. I have my own home now as well."

Shikha smiled and hugged him. "I saw you fighting with those other males. You are very strong." Her shirt became damp with warm fluid from his chest. She felt her shirt and realized what it was. "You are bleeding badly."

"Another scar to my collection." He boasted. "It will heal. Don't worry."

The Morlock male inspected his cave from his sitting position. "Why do you want to stay with me?"

"I knew nobody else that was a friend." She tucked her knees to her chin and stared at his glowing eyes. "If you want me to leave I can."

"No it's fine. It's nice to see you again." He reassured with a sweet tone of his low voice. "I'm surprised you are around still. When I never saw you again I thought others might have eaten you. I'm happy to see that's not the case."

"I'm so happy that you remembered me," Shikha felt her heart warm with love for friendship. "I haven't made any friends since you left. I was very much alone but mom taught me all sorts of things including the past."

"It's an interesting subject. Most though here don't really remember it. Nobody here wants to know they are related to the Eloi." He added. "Though when we come down here we learn it anyways. We don't like to forget things nobody if it displeases us or not."

Shikha pulled a few bottles of medicine from her bag that she had stored away just incase. She rubbed the ointment on his wounds. There were many more than she had realized, crossing over to his backside and on his cheeks as well. He must fight a lot to get this many scars. Mog permitted her even though he declined the offer. It did feel soothing and he was happy she wouldn't accept a no for an answer. Blinded by the darkness Shikha had to feel for the wounds. She reached up to his check and rubbed the sap-like medicine across the wounds and drifted her hand across his mouth. His massive front teeth overlapped his smaller bottom ones, so it always made him appear like he was in a fixed snarl. She glided a finger across his odd incisors and around his tusks. They were covered in bloody chunks from biting the other males. Not being able to see them just made her more fearful. She ran her fingers up to his eyes. The large pupils reflected brightly, being fully adapted for living in complete darkness. She hadn't realized how long she had been feeling his face till he broke the silence.

"Are you okay?" He spoke, reaching up and held her hands. "I am fine. You don't have to worry about it."

"I'm sorry. I was just thinking about home." She excused, putting her medicine away. For the first time in her life she had odd feelings. They were like a sort of longing to be close to him. She closed her fingers around his and shuffled closer. "I'm fine though. I'm glad to be here. It's so dark though."

"You can light a small flame I guess." He blinked. "It doesn't bother me much really like other Morlocks."

"A flame?" Shikha asked. She had never used fire before since the Morlocks around her had no use for it. Only heard that it was fierce to the eyes because it glowed so brightly. "Oh that, I never seen one before."

"Oh, well I don't have anything on me to make one for you. We could walk outside though it is near nightfall." He helped her up and lead her outside. The clouds were blocking out the sun despite it being almost completely set. The sky was a mixture of purple and dark blue and colors in between.

"It's so beautiful out here." She found herself still clutching his hand. Out here she could get a much better look at him. He was chunky like a typical Morlock. He stood nearly six foot and was just solid-built. As she depicted he certainly was covered in fresh and old wounds. He turned his head and stared down at her with a smile. His teeth were as scary as she imagined them to be. Killer weapons made just for hacking and gnawing at somebody's flesh. To us they would look like very bizarre rodent-like teeth.

To us and the Eloi the Morlocks would be very ugly. To Shikha on the other hand, being raised her entire life around them, had a totally different taste in what an appealing male looked like. To her he was handsome. Though Morlocks didn't judge looks quite the same as his ancestors once did. A male with a hefty built, nice freaky teeth and strength was considered quite a catch. Not only did Mog have all these qualities, he was also very gentle with her. This also opened her heart.

Despite the lovely thoughts she had doubts he felt the same about her. She was just a frail Eloi who's head just reached his chest. Plus even though they were friends she was sure he probably viewed her as some type of a pet like Fown did.

"It's the night of the hunt." He told her. "I am hungry."

Shikha tensed up at the sound of his starving voice. She wasn't too good at hiding her feelings and her sudden shivering crept up into Mog's arm. He looked down with concern, finally realizing her reason for the sudden fear.

"I would never eat you Shikha. You should know that."

"But I am an Eloi." She reminded him. Those words pained her. The damned Eloi's, why did she have to be one of them. She could be a lovely Morlock but no she had to be some tiny blonde head.

"You may be an Eloi but you are my friend. I won't eat my own friend. It doesn't matter what you are in the end." He cupped his hand around her shoulder and brought her close to his side. "Now I will go out and hunt. I want you to stay here near the bushes and keep out of sight."

Shikha waited for Mog till he came at last came back through the wood with an Eloi draped over his shoulder. It's arms and legs flopped with his every heavy step. The blonde girl followed beside him, ignoring the smell of the fresh dead. Even though she had grown up around such surroundings the breeding in her to fear the Morlock was still deeply embedded.

Inside the cave she kept herself hidden against the corner of the cave while Mog feasted. Pieces of splintered bone and chunks of flesh flung across the barren floor. Morlocks were always sloppy when they ate, no regard for any manners as well. Shikha was no better but cleaner with her face.

"Are you finished?" Shikha whispered. Mog peered up at her and smeared the blood across his lips with his tongue. There was no more bone scrunching so she assumed and crawled out a foot.

"Are you okay Shikha? You afraid?" Mog sat down close to her and stroked her thigh. "I'm sorry if seeing that offends you. I used to eating alone." He gathered her up in his arms like a baby and whispered jokes into her ear. Shikha's face brightened once again and pushed her nose under his chin.


	6. Chapter 6 The Rooms

**Chapter 6. The Rooms

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**

A lone Eloi in the home of the Morlocks is not so well hidden for very long. Eventually a stray Morlock will find the blonde head sleeking around the crevices sooner or later. Mog grew wary of his other companions who would so often sniff the air when the scent of a living Eloi would drift in and out from between the rocks. All too soon a few hungry Morlocks began to search for this strange Eloi.

Shikha sat brooding behind a fruiting tree staring up at the moon. Mog stepped around it and stood hovering over her. She was too deep in her thoughts of the ghostly moon to notice his presence.

"I often wonder if our ancestors often gazed up at the moon. Back when they were one," Shikha looked up at her friend. "Come sit with me Mog."

"We shouldn't be here no more. The other Morlocks are starting to suspect your presence. They can smell you." Mog found a place next to her. "We must go away before morning. We didn't catch as many Eloi as usual ever since that Traveler has come. There are still many hungry Morlocks. Times are just growing bad and it's even worse for you."

"Okay. But where will we stay? Every cave must have some Morlocks someplace." Shikha packed her bag with a few berries picked from the ground.

"I know of one place. I found it by accident. It's a very unusual place underground but our kind didn't make it. No it's extremely old. I think several thousands of years old. Strange writings on the walls as well. I believe it's a place where our ancestors have once stayed."

Anything to do with the past had an instant snag on Shikha's imagination. She up righted herself in an instant and grabbed his hand. "Come on then! Let's go."

"Alright but it is a long walk. Let's start now so we will have long enough before the sun comes up." Mog lead the way into the woods. Shikha followed behind him, looking at all the different shrubs and how the moon's light would cover it's self over the leaves like a blanket. Mog on the other hand didn't care so much to stare at it for long. After a few hours Shikha's legs ached. The bottom of her feet were sore and her joints were much worse. She wasn't used to traveling for so far for so long. In fact she hasn't been this far away from home in her entire life.

"Are you sure Morlocks don't go there? I'm sure somebody else would have found it too." She limped, trying to keep up with his wide paces. "My feet hurt so badly. We've been walking forever. Are we even close?"

"Very close now." Mog answered. "Yes I'm sure. There is not a whiff of Morlock nor Eloi in there. It's cleverly hidden in the vines so nobody would even detect it being a few feet away. I fell through the wall of vines by accident and stumbled all the way down. Damn lucky the bottom is covered in sand. Might have cracked my head open otherwise. It should keep us safe for the time being. Until the starving Morlocks grow desperate and might trail your scent." Mog stopped and looked back around. "As a matter of fact they could easily track you now." He bent over and picked Shikha up and carried her like a small child. She surely appreciated this and dangled her tired legs over his arm.

Shikha had drifted into a light sleep for the rest of the way. The sky around them was growing a lighter blue, the sun would soon poke out from behind the trees. Mog hurried on as fast as he could with his friend jolting. He placed the sleepy blonde on the grass and searched the vines.

"I found it Shikha." He stuck his head deep inside a well-hidden hole in the corner of a large hill. "Now be careful. It's not completely dark down here since some parts do have holes so you should be able to find your way around."

Inside the hole led to a very large and lightly lighten boxy interior. Old dusty walls made sturdy kept the room from caving in. Evidently this must have been a building at one time. Over the centuries Mother Nature had covered it with soil and greenery, protecting it from the outside world. As Mog had told Shikha, there were bizarre writings chiseled into the walls. The concrete floor was cracked and buckled, evidence of how much the earth moved around beneath it. There were several glass cases too with items inside. Both Mog and Shikha were amazed at the artifacts that littered the floor.

"Let's see what's inside these things." Shikha pressed her hands against the ancient glass. It gave way under the pressure and the glass plates slipped onto the floor. The molding that held the glass together had long since rotted and now only remnants of sticky residue held them together. Inside were rusted masses of indistinguishable objects. Mog broke open one that was more well preserved and found a small machine that was too primitive for him to identify. Shikha found something else more impressive to her. A metal chest tightly sealed away and tucked into the corner. She beat her fist against it and summoned Mog over to help break it open.

"What are these?" Shikha's eyes widened. The chest was filled with books and magazines. They were musty and fragile but were in remarkable condition for their age. She picked one up and slowly pulled the sticky pages open. Inside were images of a strange creature. One that looked so much like the Eloi, only their clothing was different. Her breath stopped as she flipped through the book. So many pictures of strange animals and strange Eloi and machinery. "Is this an Eloi?" She pointed at a blonde child in an image.

Mog was checking out other books himself. He was having a harder time flipping through the pages with his three thick fingers. "I think these may perhaps be our ancestors. They look a lot like the Traveler. Some of them anyways."

"I like these other creatures they have next to them." Shikha pointed at a large German Shepherd dog. "So amazing. Let's take a few of these."

For the rest of the day they spent flipping through hundreds of pages. Each time was a refreshing surprise as the pictures always shown something new. Mog was especially fascinated on how Man had once looked. Shikha was right for one thing. The Eloi looked more like Man than any Morlock.

"I wish there were some Morlocks in here. Maybe early ones but I guess that's when they stopped making these?" Mog placed the books back inside the chest. "I guess all of these are way before our time."

"Maybe someplace they do." Shikha packed her bag with three of the lighter magazines and followed Mog deeper into the rooms to find better darkness. Mog stopped and snorted loudly. A stale scent of another Morlock was in there. Shikha hid behind Mog and gripped onto his loin cloth, afraid that a new pair of glowing eyes would reveal themselves.

Mog let out a sigh when he found the body of a dead Morlock. It was at least two weeks old telling by the awful stench it admitted. A sharp long stick jutted out from the back of it. The Morlock's hands was laying stretched out from it's body.

"Somebody killed him." Mog mourned to himself. "Let's go someplace else."

Shikha turned her eyes away from the ghastly sight and followed him into another room far from the stench. Perhaps there was some sort of enemy lurking down here after all.

"I wonder what sort of animal did that?" She curled up in his lap and started to twist his arm hair into a braid. "I can't imagine something else killing a Morlock."

"I don't know but for one thing I haven't seen Morlocks really use sticks to kill another. Our teeth and nails do the job well enough. He might have crawled down here by accident? I surely doubt there is any other creatures in here besides us."

The thoughts of more monsters flooded Shikha's head. There could be anything in there. Maybe some type of creature that nobody else had seen. She felt like making a mad dash to the surface in the sunlight again just to see. There was nothing worse then being afraid and blind of one's surroundings. She tightly spun the braid she made on Mog's arm around her finger and pulled firmly. He grasped her tiny hand and pulled it away. Her thin fingers wrapped around one large nail of his. Just something to hold on to was reassuring enough for her. Mog soon learned this. He wasn't too used to having other hands touching him in such a manner. His Eloi friend was a different manner. Nobody else depended on him like she did.

"Are we going to stay here forever?" Shikha asked, missing her underground home terribly. "It seems so gloomy down here and depressing."

"I don't care to either. Not with a dead Morlock laying around. Makes this place feel less safe."

"If you feel that way then we should definitely leave. No way I'm staying in this creepy place." She got up and tugged on him. "We should keep moving just incase whatever killed him might come back."

"We can't leave yet. It's daytime now. Remember what I am. The sun is too harsh for me to stand for very long." He didn't budge, feeling tired from the long travel. "We will have to wait. Look at more of those pictures while I sleep."

"I wish I could find out what this strange stuff is on the pages I saw in the other room." She turned the book upside down and squinted. The room was too dark to see anything.

"It's writing. We Morlocks have no use for it anymore but we know what it once was for." He yawned, laying his head back against the wall. "It has been centuries since anybody had any use to write. When our ancestors went underground it was too dark for them to read. Eventually writing was forgotten as we just taught everything verbally."

"Oh I see. What about the Eloi? They live above so they should be able to write."

"As far as I know they don't. Too many centuries of playing the role as our food has suppressed any type of knowledge for them. You are the smartest Eloi I have met," He smiled. "because you were taught that way. When I see you it does remind me that even though we can suppress such things it doesn't mean we can vanish it all together."


	7. Chapter 7 The Other Kind

**Chapter 7 The Other Kind

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**

"Everyday those Eloi grow stronger. Everyday the Traveler seeks to come closer. He's trying to drive us out, destroy what's left of our civilized world." An aged Morlock male and a few companions stood looking down from a stray cliff onto an Eloi village. "He's there I can sense it. Trying to show them his ways."

"He's doing more evil then he imagines." Another Morlock spoke. "We must soon leave if he drives those Eloi to uproar against us. They may fight weakly but this Traveler knows much. We must seek council again to decide what to do. Soon they will come after us and burn our underground systems. I fear our time might have a sudden end."

A few months had passed since Mog and Shikha abandoned their underground home to travel far into foreign places. Shikha's once frail body hardened into more developed muscling from the long walks and climbing. Her own mind expanded as well as Mog taught her more about her surroundings and how to make the best of it. She learned better ways on how to gather fruit from the high tree tops and how to mend her own clothing. It took her longer then a Morlock to learn but when she did gain the knowledge she never forgot it. She also took in all the scenery and attempted to remember certain land marks like Mog would do.

"I see lots of cave entrances. Many Morlocks live here. This is their territory." Mog slowed down and stared at the chains of mountains that stood regal before them. "We must watch ourselves. I may be one of them but I have no relatives here. They would try and attack us both."

Shikha and Mog made themselves comfortable in a small indention in the side of the mountain to rest until the next sunset. The land was quite beautiful but it could not be their home with too many potential enemies lurking.

Shikha took her usual spot on his lap and laid her head against his stomach. His musky scent enticed her senses and she tightened her grip around his waist.

"Remember when we first met? You were so cruel to me ha-ha." She started. "You still owe me for that mud pie in my face."

"I used to call you a tasty morsel all the time, would piss you off." He smiled back. "I was surprised how close I grew to like you. You were my first friend. My only friend as well."

Shikha felt her heart warm up for him. She wanted to tell him so much how she was happy that he had no other female by his side. Without thinking she leaned forward against his chest and started to press her lips against his face. She parted them and nibbled on his neck like she's seen courting Morlocks do. Mog was confused by her actions at first.

"Shikha stop it." He grabbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes. She drew back in embarrassment from his reaction to her affections. Her clothing was damp with sweat and her eyes bulging.

"Why Mog?" She finally let it out, no longer hiding the fact that she had feelings for him. "You don't have any mate. You and I have been together for months. Why can't we be mates?"

Mog closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. "I don't know. I just don't have those feelings with you. I'm sorry if this hurts you deeply."

"It's because I'm an Eloi isn't it? Then tell me Mog why are we together now? Why didn't you eat me when I went to find you? Why are you helping me now? I am only an easy meal!" She started to cry, feeling her breath catch inside her throat. "I have no desire for life then Mog. Who wants to go on forever with nobody to love them back!"

Mog growled at her. "It isn't my fault that I don't share your feelings. I am truly sorry. I just want to be friends with you. It is not because of what you are. Please Shikha don't take it personal. I want to help you find a better life."

She drew back from him and gathered her bag. How selfish, she only thought of her own feelings instead of his. It just would never work. "Maybe I should just live with the other Eloi! I am one and I never have given it a chance."

Mog hopped up so fast it seemed like an amazing feat with somebody of his weight. "No you will only be food! You won't last I assure you." He grabbed her and yanked her close.

"Let go of me Mog." She jerked her hands away and ran towards the entrance. "You are right. An Eloi and Morlock can never be together! It is just unthinkable. I was being selfish and stupid. I am an Eloi of course so it doesn't matter. My life doesn't matter anymore. If I get eaten then that's okay. It's what I was bred for."

"It doesn't have to be that way!" Mog hobbled after her. He was not built for speed like the Eloi was. She distanced herself easily from him and made it for the sunlight.

At the entrance she climbed up and looked down back down inside the hole. "You should go back Mog. You are a Morlock. You need to go back to your own kind and me as well."

"You are being rash!" Mog called out from the darkness, unable to come any further. "Please come back!"

"The sun has betrayed you like your kind have so many times ago. Not for the Eloi it hasn't." She whispered. "Goodbye Mog."

Shikha ran as fast as she could. Her tears just started to dry on her cheeks. The only problem now was where to find Eloi. Some had to be nearby since some Morlocks lived close by. She stumbled blindly through the bushes, uncaring where she lead herself. Eventually she came upon a trail and followed it. Up ahead she heard strange chattering. Quietly she approached the noise and spied from behind a boulder. There were Eloi sitting on the grass and clapping their hands. Some were eating fruit and others laughing with each other. They seemed such a bright and happy bunch. She exposed herself and stood in front of them, expecting them to leap up and attack her. None of them even took notice of her. She walked around the maze of Eloi folk and sat a few feet away from the group and watched them. She could not understand their language. Perhaps they understood Morlock since they lived so close to them?

"Hello I'm Shikha." She told two females that were chewing on some wild onions. "Who are you?"

The two females only stared at her with raised eyebrows. Shikha did not take any note to how strange she sounded. Instead of a any words like the Eloi spoke, only grunts and groans came from her mouth. Out of frustration she raised her voice and spoke her words loudly and more slowly. Soon all the Eloi were staring at her. Bodies frozen and eyes glaring, the Eloi soon got up and drifted away. Shikha only sat there and watched them leave back inside their homes. Why did they all leave? All the Eloi seemed nervous of the sun setting. She only sat there as the sun disappeared behind the mountain while the Eloi stared out at her in confusion.

Not wanting to be alone she got up and followed them inside as well. The Eloi's eyes grew calm again and then huddled around each other on beds of thick sheets and pillows.

It didn't take long for Shikha to find out how absolutely strange her kind were. None of them were interested in any of their surroundings. There was no objects to play with or any machinery with them. They all just sat there and stared up at the moon. No spark of imagination existed in their eyes. Their eyes were only fixed on the moon because it was simply there. There was no dreaming of going to the moon or how it was like up there. It was there to stare at.

The Eloi barely spoke now. They just picked grass off their clothing and out of each other's hair. Even the children didn't play. They only laid on the pillows as if they were dead. There was a few Eloi mothers nursing their babies. Other then that she saw no other further bonds between the mother or child. It was all purely instinct. It seemed as soon as the child was old enough to eat fruit the mother no longer cared about it.

The night carried on and the breeze started to pick up. Some of the Eloi craned their necks over towards the mountains and let their mouths hang open. The others soon lifted their heads and looked over as well. Dozens of glowing eyes were staring at them through the open door. The Eloi's started to grow restless and fidgeted around in their places. Only to Shikha did those horrifying eyes mean comfort.

Suddenly a loud whip cracked across the floor. The noise was so shattering in the gentle night's silence. All the Eloi jumped up and stood trembling. Strangely enough their faces didn't show much fear at all. Only their legs shivered to show what fear they probably had at all. The glowing eyes floated around them and soon behind them facing the door. The whips cracked again and the Eloi power-walked out in the opening. Shikha followed up front of the pack. All their heads hung low, staring at the ground. Only the moonlight and the Morlocks could guide them through this darkness. Back to the mountains they were lead. The large cave entrances swallowed them up as all of them squeezed through to keep out of the way of the stinging whips.

Inside they were led down a narrow isle where many Morlocks stood. They were split in several groups and shoved inside smaller caves for inspection. Shikha's eyes grew wide as she tried to keep her head above all the others to get a glimpse of what was going on. Soon her group grew smaller as the Morlocks pulled one at a time out and looked them over. The Eloi only stood there with hanging mouths and lazy eyes as their captors would feel their arms and legs. Soon it was Shikha's turn. She found herself grabbed quite suddenly and yanked to the center by one Morlock. He pried open her mouth with his grimy fingers and inspected her teeth. Then felt down her body and poked at her sides. She realized now what they were doing. They were inspecting their meat in the fashion her own ancestors once did with cattle and pigs.

"She's old enough to slaughter. Nice and muscular compared to the rest of them." The Morlock said out loud. "I don't like the wild look in her eyes though. She might cause some trouble. Slaughter is the only option here. We don't need to breed off ones like this now."

Shikha shrieked and tried to run away from him but the Morlock's grip was too strong and he simply threw her over his shoulder and brought her into another room. She beat her hands against his back and tried to bite him. She found herself flipped over backwards and dropped on a sandy ground. Other Eloi stood there staring straight ahead with their usual sleepy eyes.

"You stupid Eloi! Why don't you run?! Don't you know your fate? You are stupid! Mother and Mog are right! You are stupid! No sense at all to even save yourself!" She grunted loudly in her Morlock tongue.

Their killers peered over towards her direction. She quickly shut her mouth, not wanting to be singled out for speaking like that. They probably thought another Morlock was shouting that and wanted to beat him for such a speech. They crowded around the entrance of their small containment and each pulled out an Eloi for their liking. Some of the Eloi did struggle and scream at last. Their heads were instantly bashed against the wall, leaving bloody brains running down onto the floor.

Shikha couldn't stand it anymore as the sweet smell of blood became stronger. She ran around, shoving other Eloi out of the way and screamed her head off. This was it. Her last night after all. This is what she desired and asked for anyways. Remember Shikha, you have nobody that loves you now. You are food now like it should be.

She felt big hands grab her around the middle and she was thrown over a Morlock's backside. She raised her head and cried. Her arms grew weak and her head grew light. Her eyes rolled back and she hung limp.


	8. Chapter 8 Savior

**Chapter 8. Savior

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**

"Wake up dear Shikha. You have no longer to fear. Here you are safe." A soft voice floated in and out from the Eloi's ears. The strange blackness that over took her soon faded out. She opened her eyes and stared long and hard. The room was illuminated by a blue light that was easy on the Morlock's eyes.

Shikha's eyes widened at the pair of burning eyes fixed on her. She opened her mouth to scream but nothing would come out but a pitiful wail. She squirmed, wrapping her arms around her legs.

"Shikha it's me." The familiar voice reassured her again. "You don't have to fear."

"Am I in some other world? I am dead now." She answered weakly. Her body felt strangely warm. A slow heartbeat pumped against her cheek. She blinked and looked up into the eyes of this gentle Morlock. "Mog? It is you."

"Yes I'm here." He had her close to his chest in his wrapped arms. "You okay now? Want to sit down on the floor?"

"No. I just want to lay here." She sunk her face into his chest and breathed in his familiar scent. It brought an overly strong feeling of security to her again. "I was going to be eaten with my other kind. It was my fate."

"No. I told you Shikha." He stroked her face with the side of his hand. "You wouldn't have lasted a day. You were very lucky that I chose you. If it were some other Morlock. You would have been digested already."

"I guess." She spoke. "I guess so. You are right Mog, for once anyways."

Mog smiled and rubbed his nose against her cheek. "I managed to sneak inside. There was so many Morlocks that they didn't notice I was a stranger. Fate is on our side."

"Oh Mog you are truly something else." She complimented, pulling on his flaxen hair. "I don't want to be with the other Eloi anymore. I just can't stand them. They are just too different from me. I'm a Morlock and I don't care what anybody else says."

"Of course. You are a very odd-looking Morlock I must say." He teased her. "So what did your parents look like?"

Shikha laughed out loud and gave his stomach a pat. "I do admit though that I feel sorry for them. When I almost thought I died. The screaming and the blood." She trembled at the fresh memories of last night's slaughter. "It was so horrible."

"I guess it is frightening." Mog shrugged. Being a predator, the pity of killing his prey was just a relic from his human ancestors. One had no room for such feelings. "I won't allow nobody to take you as a meal of course."

"You would fight for me?" She leaned forward.

"Of course I would. You are closer to me then you probably think." He brushed the hair from her face. "I wouldn't be all the way out here then."

Shikha felt herself choke up inside. No softer words have ever been spoken to her. "I am sorry about what I said to you back there. We can just be friends. I'd rather have you as a friend then not know you at all."

Mog only petted her head and kept an eye on the entrance to his cave just in case another one of his kind might appear. He rolled his head back against the wall and closed his eyes.

"These Morlocks are doing very well. They're so picky about their meat I tell you. I'm sort of surprised they didn't you use you for breeding simply because of your eyes. It will change though when the Traveler finds them. Desperate times will spread everywhere. Oh that Traveler."

Mog bared his teeth and growled. "I remember him from when I was a child. When I first saw just a glimpse of him from behind the rocks. He set fire to our home and killed many Morlocks. I was just so little but I remember it. I almost didn't get out alive. I saw my parents burn alive."

Shikha clasped her mouth with her hand and shook her head. "That's dreadful. How could he do such a thing!?"

"It was because we feasted on the Eloi of course. I guess it's because they look so alike to him and he felt sorry for them." Mog groaned. "I really hate him. He's a monster."

"How did he get here? I mean isn't he an Eloi? I don't understand the story."

"They say he traveled from the past in a machine. Time machine I heard it was called. That is all I know about him though. He must be really evil though since he's slaughtered a lot of our kind." Mog snarled. "We must find a place far away from him."

"I'm interested in seeing what he looks like. This Time Traveler must have great powers," Shikha rubbed his face again. "but I don't like him either."

Mog wasn't paying any attention to her but his eyes set on the entrance. She turned her head and saw two pairs of eyes. She gasped and jumped behind Mog.

"Didn't anybody ever tell you?" One of the Morlocks called out to them. "You shouldn't play with your food."

Mog snarled and hauled his heavy weight off the ground. He planted himself firmly between his friend and these beasts. "You dare touch her and I will rip your balls off and shove them up your nose. Just try me."

The other Morlocks were even further confused by his reaction. One climbed further inside and clipped his teeth at this stranger.

"What are you doing? Why aren't you eating the Eloi?" The Morlock questioned. "The rest of us have already finished up!"

Mog snorted at them and waved his nails. "Perhaps I like to take my time!" He charged full ahead and bashed the Morlock straight in the stomach, sending him out the entrance again. He followed after them and cut them up with his teeth while Shikha squeezed herself out around the fight. She stumbled head first down the steep floor and laid there dazed. A few more surprised Morlocks snapped awake from their after-dinner slumber and glared at her.

"Why it's a stray Eloi. Anybody have any room left in their stomachs?" A female made a beeline towards her with wide spread arms. Shikha ducked between her legs and flipped the female onto her stomach with a loud fatty plop. "Ach! Get the little animal!"

Shikha scrambled back to the surface and sped off into the woods. Luckily for her it was nearly morning and too bright for the Morlock's sensitive eyes to stand. They shielded their eyes and disappeared into the darkness. Mog on the other hand was trapped now. Being such a talkative colony soon all the Morlocks knew of this stranger in their humble home. The one Morlock who was in league with the little, blonde animals. They cornered around him with bared teeth. Mog knew he was not going to last long unless he could get out. He squinted his eyes and used his large size to an advantage. Through the Morlock crowd he smashed till he clamber up towards the surface. The mad grunts and groan of the Morlocks was deafening. The light of the rising sun was like staring straight into the full sun on a summer day. Instinctively he covered his eyes and ran like mad in the same direction as Shikha. Stumping his toes and bruising his knees along the way he secluded himself under a tree with thick foliage. There at least it was very shady and kept the rays of the sun from reaching him.

"Damn. There must be someplace to hide. This won't stay shady forever." He panted, slimy foam covered his tongue and lips. "Where are you Shikha?"

The Eloi were all foraging from the fruits laid out for them by their masters when Shikha came to join them. The smell of Morlock was heavy on her clothing, giving her more attention then she had before. It didn't take too long for them to go back to their routine of being oblivious of the world around them.

Soon a few of the males were showing interesting her. Five male Eloi approached and sat next to her and offered fruit. What a change in attitude! She got the drift after awhile that they were courting her. One of them was probably hoping she would choose him to mate with. Unlike the Morlocks, the Eloi didn't waste excessive amounts of time courting a partner. It was a full show in your face and getting in the bed the next. When the males started to feel on her rear she snarled loudly and smacked him hard up side the face. The Eloi males, shocked at such odd behavior, didn't bother her anymore.

"Such a strange breed. I can hardly believe I am one of them. I would have probably been like this too if I had grown with my real family. I would have been already a forgotten meal as well." Shikha was extremely thankful for her mother teaching her all she knew. Without it she would just be another brainless twit like the rest of these. "I bet you could be taught as well. But the Morlocks need their food."

Some of the Eloi's nearby stared at her, listening to her peculiar hoarse grunting. Shikha rolled her eyes at them and decided to bask out on the cozy grass for a nap. The images of the fierce cave-dwellers flickered through her mind again. She raised her head up and gasped.

"Mog! Oh no I forgot all about him! The others will tear him to pieces!" She charged back towards the Morlock's caves. Mog was still under the tree with his head tucked between his legs.

"Shikha?" He called out weakly. "The sun is going to kill me! I'm still blocked from it for now but just being out here burns!"

"Mog! I thought you were still below! I thought you were going to be torn apart." She came to his aid and shielded his body with her own. "Come with me Mog. The Eloi's have their own little huts and some of them are dark inside. You could stay there."

"With the Eloi? Are you crazy?" Mog shook his head furiously.

"Why are you scared of them? A bunch of weak animals?" She giggled, resting against his back. "It's either fry or have a nice dark place."

"I am not afraid." Mog snorted and squinted. "Let's go now."

Shikha quickly led him back the Eloi's village. The blonde folk stopped their games and chat. They stood transfixed with gaping mouths. Mog hid in one of the nicely shaded huts and shut the door.

"They all just stood there and watched me." Mog rubbed his sore eyes and blinked hard. "Ugh they smelled so delicious I'm hungry."

"Not a good idea to stir them up Mog." She felt tempted to tell him not to talk that way. For a moment she felt afraid of being inside alone with him. "Later on tonight. Then we can keep moving before the rest of them search for you."

She sat down next to him and checked over his fresh wounds. "Keep doing this and there won't be much of you left. I don't have much medicine left."

"I'm fine. They don't hurt anyways. Didn't feel a thing nope." He boasted again. "I haven't lost a fight yet surprisingly."

Shikha smiled and hugged him again. "I miss my mother. I hope Fown didn't hurt her for letting me go. I still can't believe that he wanted to eat me. I thought somewhere deep inside he loved me. I was wrong. Turns out he just hated me instead."

"We don't normally harm out own mates. Females can put up a stiff fight." He licked her face. "I guess it's because males have a harder time bonding with children. A mother's bond is like nothing else. Nothing can break it. I think Fown just didn't connect with you not because he hated you."

"You are right. He never attempted to harm me before. He never played with me or spent time with me either like the other parents would with their kids. He just tolerated me." Shikha frowned.

"At least he didn't kill you in the very beginning. It's surprising to even see another Morlock just tolerate a living Eloi in his home. I am glad he decided to let you live. Otherwise I wouldn't have had such a loveable friend." He cooed. "My real parents were gone as well when I was very young. I know how it feels to be out of place. None of my stepbrothers liked me at all. Well sometimes they'd try and make me beat up other children but other then that I was the one getting beat up." He chuckled. "You remember that of course."

"Yeah you were such a rambunctious kid back then. Kept throwing sand and mud in my hair and making me run home crying." She gave him a playful sneer. "I will be right back. I need to get us something to drink. You must be thirsty."

Shikha went back outside with a bowl for water. The other Eloi were crowded around the hut, trying to get a peak inside to see this lone enemy. All of them were whispering a single sound that she didn't understand. Perhaps it meant "Morlock" in their language.

Nightfall came quickly for them. Mog felt free at last from his small prison and went out into the beautiful night air. The other Eloi were all squeezed in their places for the night.

"It's time to leave now Shikha. The Morlocks are coming." Mog tensed up and stared down near the mountains. Bright eyes were coming up the hills. They were still on the search for the missing Morlock that escaped them during the morning. Shikha packed a few fruit for the way and darted through the brush. Mog was still starving, having not eaten in over a week. He watched his friend disappear in the wood.

"Mog?" She called out to him. "Mog?"

"I'm coming." Mog jogged after her with a dead Eloi over his shoulder. "Sorry but I needed something for dinner. Who knows when I'll get any food."

"I understand." She looked back to the mountains and they went on their way for a search for a better home.


	9. Chapter 9 Lonely Love

**Chapter 9. Lonely Love

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**

Shikha and Mog had found a small cave carved into the side of a gully. It was only big enough to house at least three Morlocks. They ventured far until any scent of Morlock completely vanished away. Here the earth was quiet with barely a rustle of a tree. The birds of our time were now gone in theirs. Not a sniff of an animal anyplace, nor any insects to add songs in the nighttime. The whole world seemed to belong to just the two branches of species evolved from man.

"Mog? I keep thinking about all those Eloi we last met." Shikha was laying beside him on the grass, staring up at the moon. "Did you ever do things like that? Whip them around and lead them to their deaths?"

"Of course. Most of us had that chance. Haven't you ever seen their containment center before? Unless they strictly kept you away from there. Your mother probably has."

"No I never found it. I kept asking my mom and she would never tell it even once. I think I probably asked her a million times." Shikha leaned her head against his arm. "I miss her so much. I hope one day I can see her again."

"You will someday," Mog curled his arm over her. "As for the Eloi, they are often inspected as well. Just to see whom is breeding quality or not."

"How?" Shikha asked. "I remember being rejected. Made me feel awful inside. So does that mean I can never have children."

"You can have some if you want. It is your choice you know." Mog informed. "As for breeding, well, we just inspect the children. Sometimes but rarely one might end up being born with certain problems We just cull it. Eat it more less."

Shikha's eyes widened. "Oh why? Can't they live normal lives?"

"I dunno Shikha. It's just been that way for centuries. Besides it's extremely rare. I haven't even seen one nor has my father. Most of the Eloi are very healthy." Mog turned his eyes away. "Let's talk about other things."

"Would you ever cull me? If I had problems?" She couldn't stop now. The answers were just too horrifying to just stop discussing altogether.

"You mean now? No because you are my friend. Besides you are a free Eloi. Nobody is going to eat you and I won't allow it. Should I repeat myself?" He snarled faintly beneath his breath.

"I'm sorry." She silenced herself, not wanting to feed his anger. "You have lost weight."

Mog rubbed his stomach. "Not enough food and so much walking. Never walked such a distance in my life."

"Yes, your tummy flab is almost gone." She stuck a finger right into his belly button. Mog tensed up and brushed her hand away with a chuckle. "Exactly where are we going? We could always stay here."

"You are forgetting one problem. No Eloi equals no food for me. Plus you said you wanted to meet the Traveler. I think it would be interesting to see what this man creature looks like."

"Oh well that's a good point." She rested her blonde head on his stomach. "I bet you there would be no Morlock for miles around him. That should be our tell-tale sign."

"Probably lots of burning too and fucking killing and fucking screaming and fucking Eloi's everywhere feeling almighty." Mog growled. "I know I will feel the temptation to break his neck if I ever had the chance to get close enough. Then this whole crappy future he's trying to build up will end."

"I have this thought that might help." She leaned over towards his face. "Perhaps you should show your gentle side towards him. Show him that not all Morlocks are beasts like he thinks they are. Prove a point."

"Sounds like a plan. It will be hard to do though. I'll just think of very happy memories while greeting his ugly face." Mog writhed his lips. "If his little Eloi followers don't try and snag me first."

"If they dare harm you I will kill them all. I swear to it." Shikha growled back at him.

"No you shouldn't. If in the end I don't make it out alive I want you to just stay with his other Eloi. Even though they are against us at least you don't have to fear being eaten." Mog pleaded. "Promise me this?"

"I don't know if I can." Shikha dropped her eyes. "You already do know how much I love you. It should come no surprise to you that it's deeper then what friends have. I don't know if I could even imagine living."

Mog opened his mouth but couldn't find a right out response to this. "I honestly don't know what you find in me. I kill your kind. I am the nightmare that stalks you in the dark. I am that cruel, heartless beast that you can't comprehend. It is my nature to be so."

"Doubt it all you want. I don't care about what law binds between our kind. I do love you and nothing can change that." Shikha rolled over on the grass. "Don't mind me Mog. I am just feeling foolish yearnings I guess."

"I would never mount you." Mog finally said in a soft tone. "You should find a nice Eloi male. You would have plenty of takers."

Shikha got up off the ground, feeling very hurt by his reply. "The other Eloi have no bonds. They don't love each other. I'm sorry." She drifted back into the cave to go to sleep.

Mog sat up and called after her. "You should stop wandering off when we talk about this. Are you listening to me?"

There was no answer from her. Tired of the same reaction again and again he got up and went in. She was laying there on her blanket with knees tucked to her chin. He kneeled beside her and grabbed her shoulder.

"Quit turning your back on me Shikha. It won't solve any issues you may be having with me." He grunted firmly. "This will just keep repeating over and over again."

"Naturally it will Mog." She whispered back. "Have you ever felt love in your life? If you say no you are lying to me."

"Why do you say that? What do I have to hide Shikha? Nothing!" His grip tightened.

"I know about being a Morlock just as much as a real one does Mog. You think I don't know you. No Morlock, even a friend, would do all this for me," She went on. "I have never seen somebody so close to me as you. The way you touch me. The way you watch me for no apparent reason. The way you speak to me. Why are you so afraid?"

Mog growled deep inside his throat and huffed. "I will not discuss this any further!" He swiveled back around.

"No! You will not turn your back on me either!" Shikha grabbed him around the waist and held on.

Feeling the last of his patience gone, he spun around and roared loudly at her with fully exposed tusks. "Don't tempt me Eloi or you won't live to see morning!"

Shikha stumbled backwards and curled herself up in a ball. Mog could only stand there, shocked at his own negative reaction to her. Why did he say such an awful thing?

"I didn't-" His voice barely audible. "Here's some good advice. Just don't listen to me. " He sat back down and wiped his face. "We are just having it rough lately."

His friend didn't respond, only cowered in the corner as if she was expecting to feel those fangs in her neck any second. He bent over and gave her a rub with the back of his hand. "I would never hurt my only friend in the world. Please smile for me before I tickle you."

Shikha smiled beneath her arms and looked up. "I'm glad to have you as a friend as well." She hopped up and hugged him. "We are such an odd couple."

"Tell me about it." He grunted in laughter. "We'd be the laughingstock of all the other Morlocks. Crack jokes then meal time."

"You'd be the main course." She rubbed her nose against his. "If they care to pick all that hair from their teeth."

Mog grabbed her and rolled over on his back. He poked his nails into her sides to make her laugh and wiggle. She crawled up on his chest and sat with splayed legs.

"I wonder how much farther away this Time Traveler lives. Hopefully not too far away." Shikha sighed.

"We don't even know where he is. We are just drifting off where the Morlocks push us." Mog stared up at the ceiling. "We have no plan."

"My mother told me where he was. Well the direction that he is in. I didn't lead ya the right way for nothing." She smiled and started fiddling with the long hair on his arms. "All this makes me think about those songs again. That we sung as kids. It was always fun hearing yourself echo. Let's sing again."

"Eh we all grow out of that sooner or later." He yawned. "I don't think I can really sing anymore. You can though if you want. Eloi would sometimes sing."

"They did? I never heard them sing ever." Shikha perked up. "They must have some joy in them somewhere to sing. Only those who are happy sing."

"I heard them before at night. It's rare though since most of them are very quiet when the sun goes down. It is actually quite lovely to listen to." Mog smiled. "Don't go passing that around."

"I will sing for you." Shikha fell silent for moment then drifted on into a sweet song that she had never heard before. A song of the Eloi so ingrained in her mind. She carried on with it till her voice faded off. "I want to hear another story of our past."

"Hmm perhaps one about how the Eloi became our food." Mog grinned. "Hundreds of thousands of years ago after man had wiped out most of the other creatures we Morlocks only had these creatures called mice and rats to eat. Our food supply grew lower and lower over time. Being great in thinking ahead of time we had remembered our cousins up above. The Eloi then were taller and more intelligent then their later relatives. They also had another feature that made them easy to manipulate, their laziness. Of course there are several different stories on how the Morlocks started to use Eloi as food as there are several different methods.

We became partners with them and helped do their necessities. During the night we would occasionally steal one of them and nobody would know what happened to them. Overtime the Eloi lost all their ability to take care of themselves as they wanted us to do everything. In some ways we were also their slaves. The other creatures we ate originally gone extinct and the Eloi became our food. We shaped them into smaller and finer creatures. The past and the future doesn't exist for them for they do not bother to think of such things. They only like to play and sit around in the grass. Now we still take care of them and in return we breed them for food. In some places the Morlocks take pride in how their Eloi's look and breed them to look very refined. It makes their meat very tender and tasty. Without Eloi we cannot live and the same goes for them." He frowned. "That's why I deeply fear the Traveler. He might end up destroying both of us."

"I wish there were other creatures for you to eat. Then you wouldn't have to worry so much." Shikha dropped her face, feeling suddenly tired. "Mog? I feel so sleepy."

"I do too." Mog's eyes closed. "What is that smell? It's sweet and it makes me feel calm. I think I'm falling-"

"Maybe it's just the flowers." Shikha yawned and faded off.


	10. Chapter 10 The Two

**Chapter 10. The Two

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**

Mog pried open his heavy eyes and stared out at the fuzzy scenery around him. It was still dark but the sky looked odd. Not a star in sight but only rock. "What is going on? Hmm? Shikha?" He gasped and looked around frantically.

Shikha was sitting near him. She didn't not respond to his call but only fixed her eyes straight ahead. A Morlock stood at in front of them. An old female in a skin wrapped around her waist and over her shoulders. Mog snarled in warning for the enemy not to come a step closer.

"You are the two." The old female started. "We have been tracking you for days and we finally decided to catch you."

"Why? What business do you have with us?" Mog growled warily. "Why haven't you harmed us yet?"

"We do not wish to harm you." The old one nodded and walked back and forth. A few more Morlocks peeked in to observe. "We simply desire to talk. We have a very keen curiosity. When some of our spies told us that an Eloi and Morlock were traveling as a pair we had to see this for ourselves. At first we just thought she was a meal for later. Excuse us for eavesdropping but it seems you to have a great bond and love to share stories. Never seen anything like it."

Shikha crawled up behind Mog and glanced under his arm at the old female. Mog was still greatly confused. Why would a bunch of many Morlocks care about that for?

"Yes we know of the traveler as well." The female smiled, showing her yellowed teeth. "We captured you because we think you are the way to our freedom."

"Us? What for? We haven't done anything special. We are just lost drifters from the North, chased out by our family because they wanted to eat her." Mog replied.

"Such love you have for her. I never knew Morlocks could have such big hearts." The female's eyes flashed. "We live close to the traveler. We think you would two would be perfect to show him how greatly the Eloi and Morlocks need each other. Talk of a proposition. We have managed up to now to keep hidden. We moved our Eloi underground with us and keep them in a lighted, secluded area so the traveler does not seek them. Lately though he's developed a very keen plan."

The other Morlocks gritted their teeth and groaned. The female waved them off and continued.

"He started to use the sirens again. To call any Eloi to liberation. Some of ours have almost gotten away. Down here they cannot hear the sirens." The female shook her head in dismay. "We have always taken great care of our Eloi's. They are not happy down here and I know it will taint their meat. True they don't have much feelings as in the past but an Eloi can get depressed if you try really hard."

"Well we were on our way to the Traveler." Shikha spoke for the first time. "We wanted to see him ourselves."

"We will accept then," Mog came to his decision. "but nobody hurt Shikha or they will feel my teeth between their spines."

"We won't touch such an honorable Eloi that is willing to help us. She's very special." The female smiled warmly. "You can stay here. This will be your private cave. No rush for now of course. You are quite thin." She pointed out his ribs which were starting to jut from his skin. "I'm not sending any skinny Morlock on a mission. You two will rest and gain your strength until then. Hopefully still we will remain unseen."

The female left them to do as they wished. The other Morlocks lowered their heads in submission and backed off to return to their duties. Mog ruffled his hair till it all stood out on end, making him look massive.

"Oh damn. Are we not in a dream? This can't be true. Friendly Morlocks that like you." Mog sat in disbelief. "Well if it isn't then I'm very happy. Now we can finally rest in a cave and have good meals. See there? She left you a bowl of fruit and me something to."

Shikha nodded and blushed. "Always makes me feel like somebody when you defend me like that. I think you don't need to fall apart anymore though."

"Ah well." Mog leaned back against the comfy sheets. "Time to grow fat again. Starting to miss my tummy flab."

"I'm going to take a look around this place. Maybe get a feeling that I'm home again." Shikha got up. "I just feel energetic right now."

"Really? You jump up real quick. I'm going with you then. Even though they said they wouldn't eat you I still don't trust that all of them would comply to that agreement." Mog reluctantly hauled himself back on his feet.

The both of them took a tour around their new home. The caverns were pretty impressive and very clean. Mog of course had the check out their machinery as well. He was pleased to see how well taken care of the place was and how hardworking his new fellows were. The other Morlocks always gave the strange Eloi a second glance but lowered their heads back in submission.

Passing by a lonely cave Shikha noticed a lone male sprawled out across the floor of it. What caught her attention was his appalling condition. Skin and bones was all that was left of the male. His hair was a filthy brown color and matted painfully. The male lifted his head and groaned loudly. Shikha's eyes widened.

"Mog I know that voice!" She stepped into the cave. "Are you okay?"

"Watch out Shikha. You should know better then approaching one that's starving." Mog snorted in concern. "I am also curious on why he's so skinny. Maybe this place isn't so cut out after all."

The male raised his head, revealing sunken eyes. "I remember you two."

Shikha did as Mog said and stayed at a distance. "Fown! How did you get here?"

"How? Oh I wandered many, many nights and even a few times in during the day when it was tolerable. Our home! He burned it all down! My poor mate died in it. Your mother Shikha burned in front of me." He sobbed. "I haven't gotten enough to eat after that. He came about a month after you mysteriously left."

Shikha couldn't believe these words. Her mother? Why of all the Morlocks her mother? She buried her face into her hands and started to bawl. "No not my mother! I wanted to see her again! Why her?!"

Mog held her close and purred softly under his breath. "I'm sorry to hear about that. I just feel like slaughtering that Traveler now. He will never stop till he's driven our kind off the face of the earth."

"I will never ever see her again." Shikha clenched her fists and shrieked. "I will kill him! I will make him suffer as long as I want!"

"Lets go lay down now." Mog said quietly. "We need a rest."

"Beware you two! He may come here! It will just be a matter of time till all of us roast alive!" Fown moaned at them. "Our time has ended!"

For another three days Shikha stayed in their private cave. She mourned silently, staring at the ceiling without uttering any words to Mog. He stayed close by to keep her comfortable. Inside he was raging horribly. Old wounds deep inside him ripped fresh open again when he recalled his own parent's death from a very similar situation. His little friend only picked at her fruit when offered. The old female came for a visit to check on her condition.

"You mourn very deeply I can see. I am sorry to hear what had happened. I never knew you were raised by Morlocks but I can see how it matches up." The female sat down next to her.

"Where is Mog at?" Shikha rubbed her nose. "I haven't seen him all day."

"He's gone off to visit a female."

Shikha felt her heart drop to her stomach. "H-he did?" She felt like throwing up. The female frowned, feeling that she had said something wrong.

"I will leave you alone now. Just let me know when you feel hungry again."

Shikha fell back on her bed and started up a new wave of tears. Not only is her mother gone but now Mog had gone off to seek some interest in another female. She slammed her fists on the ground and cried out loudly.

"I think Shikha is still very sad." The old female told Mog when he returned. "She's still mourning very fiercely. You should go talk to her."

Mog made his way back to the cave. Shikha's cries could be heard farther down into the caverns, attracting all sorts of attention from the others.

"What's the matter Shikha? Are you still hurting? Is there anything you want me to do? Pains me to see you so down like this." He went down on his knees and pulled her close. She shoved him away and drew back.

"I though you had a female. You should go back to her instead of lingering around here with me. I'll be fine by myself." She cried.

"What female?" Mog furrowed his brow and thought for a minute. "Oh that one. She just knew my real mother at one point and recognized my name. Not what you were thinking I believe."

Shikha sighed in great relief and turned red. "Oh okay." She felt his arms go around her. "I was just worried that I was going to be left here."

"Oh dear Shikha. I don't even think now I would ever leave your side. You are just too special to me." He cooed.

"What does that mean? What are you saying?" She felt herself stutter.

"Well this seems kind of quaint old way I guess but I want you to be my mate." Mog blushed and turned his face away. "I knew I was going to do that. It seems really sudden but for some reason this feels like the best time. I know the moment sucks and I am horrible at trying to reveal my feelings. I just kind of feel that now would be a good time to ask. That's if you want to of course." He babbled.

Shikha threw her arms around him and kissed his neck. "Oh I want to. I think you did very well. Oh I've been waiting forever for this. I feel so much better."

"I'm glad of it Shikha. I've been selfish of my feelings towards you." He smiled. "Now lets go outside and point out disgusting things out in the stars. Okay just silly things then."

"Oh you Mog. Just wait till I find some wet sand." Shikha laughed. "I want this to be a night to be remembered forever."

"I dunno about that." Mog blushed. "Might keep everybody awake."

Shikha almost choked on her laughter, turning bright red. "Oh dear I don't think I have anything to say on that." Just as she felt her happiness restored again the thoughts of her mother flushed into her mind. She dropped her chin and felt her eyes watering again. Mog cuddled her and sighed. As long as she would live that sorrow would never leave her.

"I know it's hard. I've been there before. No one ever really gets over something like that but you can move on. I'm sure she'd be proud of you know seeing what you are doing."

For the next few weeks the couple recovered back to their original physical beings. Mog once again grew chubby and thick. His white hair had grown quite long since the past few months. The hair from his arms and legs were a good foot long. His feet were almost hidden and his face was obscured. A nice long coat seemed impressive to the other females but to Mog it was getting increasingly uncomfortable. The other Morlock males kept theirs trimmed to prevent getting caught in the machinery. Shikha on the other hand grew impatient as she wanted to visit the Traveler.

"Mog? I was thinking on how we would exactly approach him." She said. "I'm trying to think up certain ways on how to get you near but not get you killed."

"I was thinking the same for the past week. This is just too dangerous. What if his Eloi are really well equipped? What if he has traps? Maybe he tortures the Morlocks he captures? Too many holes and just not enough preparation." Mog informed. "We need a plan soon."

The old female had over heard them and entered their cave. She sat down on an boulder with a smug smile. "Sorry to intrude but we were also thinking of the same problem. We have been going very close with our most brave Morlocks to see what happens. The traveler is alone with no other friends of his time but he has also learned quite a lot from his time travels. He seems to have a keen interest now in studying our kind. We don't know though if it is for the better or just the worst."

"What do you mean by that?" Mog questioned.

"I mean as if he's wanting to do cruel experiments on us. He hasn't managed to capture any of us but the Eloi are still very lazy and stupid. He expects them to guard him. They mean well but thousands of centuries of breeding for the opposite has proved a very difficult problem for him. He can't make them do much and they seem to give in and freeze when a Morlock comes. Even the ones whom have never been captives." The female told them. "We may have a very good chance and perhaps an extra stock of Eloi."

"Perhaps we should use something else besides a Morlock?" Mog thought out loud. "I don't know what though."

The female had struck a thought and pondered on it. She suddenly got up and snapped her fingers. "I got it! My good little boy Shandow."

"Shandow? Is he your son?"

"Oh no, no. Well in some ways I feel like he is my son. Come with me down the breeding shed." She ushered them out and jogged down the lightly lit tunnels into the Eloi containment center. "Be careful it is rather light in here. I suggest some eye protection." She handed Mog a set of special sun glasses used to prevent the discomfort of staring into the artificial light set up to keep the Eloi comfortable. Mog snorted at the sight of a few hundred head of Eloi all sitting about on thick sheets of fabric. In a secluded area a few Eloi were kept to themselves for the time being. The old female called out to one of them and a slim male responded to her. He pranced forward and stood right in front of her with a light smile on his childish face.

"We use him for breeding." The female told them. "I've raised him since he was a child. He's pretty much everything we breed for." The Eloi male stood still while his master inspected his figure. He was a very sleek but adequately muscled creature with large deep blue eyes and straw-colored hair. Further more he was very slow compared to Shikha, whom was descended from slightly more intelligent Eloi.

Mog nodded. "We only kept ours out in the wild in a naturally secluded area. Is he your pet?"

"In a way I guess you could say that. He's going on thirty four years, much older then most Eloi we keep. Only our most prized males we keep for awhile. Every few years we bring in outside Eloi to keep our stocks from inbreeding." She continued to pat his small head. "I honestly don't have plans on eating him. I've also been training him as well. Big plans concerning the Time Traveler."

"Oh? Like what kind of plans?" Mog asked in interest.

"I was thinking after letting you two spy on him I would have him go in and take some of the Traveler's things, important things."

"He's quite dumb though isn't he? How will he be able to distinguish the right stuff?" Mog snorted.

"Oh well neither do we know what is the right stuff. I will just have him take whatever. If it's not right he can always go back." The female looked down and gently pushed him back into the group. "It is better then to do nothing."


	11. Chapter 11 The Fossils

**Chapter 11. The Fossils

* * *

  
**

Shikha followed the old female around the next few days, curious about her personality and her reasons for not having their two new additions harmed. The female planted herself atop of a flat rock worn smooth from being used for generations. She blinked her glowing eyes towards her follower's direction and spoke.

"I know you are there. You've been following me around all day. You want to speak to me?" She beckoned her over with her thick fingers.

Shikha padded over and curled up next to the rock. For the first time she noticed strange shapes protruding out from the rock formation across the walls and the ground. They looked very much like bones of their own kind. She pried at them with her fingers, seeing if she could pull it out. They seemed like part of the stone.

"Those are bones of man from long ago." The female answered her curiosity. "It seems they might have hid under here a very long time ago. Perhaps when the earth grew ill. Man never could harness his own powers I have heard."

"Man are our ancestors." Shikha stared at the fossils. "They have became part of the earth."

The female nodded and scanned over the array of human fossils. They were all splayed out with their skulls gaping wide. Perhaps they all met an awful and sudden death. Many were smashed into parts and pieces of fragments.

"This must have been when man fled to the underworld. Perhaps how our ancestors first came to live in the caverns. They look so very much like us as bones. The same with the Eloi. At one time the Eloi were very smart. Some are still very smart now in evidence of you. I was completely surprised when I saw a Morlock and Eloi having a decent conversation with each other. I am guessing it depends on breeding." She grunted. "I am sure Mog has taught you many things?"

"Oh yes. I also wish to learn how to hunt. Now since we are both mates I want to hunt for him sometimes." Shikha said proudly.

"Oh? I never knew you two became mates. Just thought you were friends." The female smiled, thinking now she has heard everything. "I hope you two have many long wonderful years together."

Shikha smiled warmly, thinking about her past few nights with him. The thoughts made her blush and giggle. She turned her attention back to the fossils and studied them once more.

"I mean it when I say you are truly different from your other kind. I haven't seen one so keen on learning before. I guess that just goes to say you can't totally breed something out of a creature. It lingers inside them, waiting to rise up, sort of like a throwback." The female pulled out some fossilized teeth she found lying around among the crumbled rocks from the folds in her clothing. "I would have loved to meet your mother. How about your father?"

The mention of her dead mother created a new wave of heavy sadness in her chest. "She was wonderful. I was with her since I was born. My dad is here too. He's the one you found awhile before us all skin and bones. Well he's not really my dad. I ran away in the first place with Mog because he wanted to eat me."

The female chuckled. "Oh I see, typical Morlock behavior. Well I never would have thought that old male had any connections with you."

"I guess I should give him more credit." Shikha shrugged. "He did let my mom keep me for twenty years. He protected me too only because of my mother."

"He must have loved his mate very much." The female frowned. "By the way I have never told you my name. It's Fere. I don't know why I even forgot to tell you." She tapped her forehead.

Shikha giggled. "That's such a nice name. Mom says mine means "flame." She says it's because it is something the Eloi don't know or use and the Morlocks keep away from it."

"Quite a name." Fere flashed her teeth. "Speaking of which I should check up on the stranger Fown. He is not doing so well since he is also in great mourning over his mate."

Fown was still sprawled out across his bedding with his naked body exposed. His face sunken into the thick sheets as he snored. Fere tapped his leg and made him roll over. He groaned loudly in protest like some child and glared at her.

"What is it you female?" He snorted and rubbed his chest. "I was having a decent dream for once." He then just realized that his body wasn't covered up. Quickly he jerked the sheets back over his belly and blushed.

"Here to clean up your wounds and your eye." She noticed his bad eye oozed constantly, probably from his extreme stress. He was a total mess. Scars riddled across his body and his face was a wreck.

"I was blinded in a fight for my first mate." He stared at the ground with sagging lips. "For Marn, my sweetheart." A few slashes were carved across his face. It was a well-aimed blow.

"What ever happened to your jaw. You can't speak right." She pointed out his other disfigurement while cleaning his eye.

Fown squinted. "I fell off a small ledge while repairing some damned water pipe and hit my jaw against a rock on my way down. Took forever to heal but it never set right."

"I don't honestly see how you can even chew." She stared at his angry face. His jawbone stood ajar on one side of his mouth where his tusk pointed outwards. It gave him a comical expression of a rubbery snarl. "You have been through a lot. The place where you lived must have been a tough life for a Morlock."

"You get used to it." He simply answered, reaching over for his clothing. "Next time knock so I can get dressed first."

"Well I didn't expect to find you still sleeping in this part of the night. I brought you some dinner as well." She pointed to part of an Eloi in the corner and sat down. "I wouldn't have ever thought you knew Shikha."

"Of course I do. My mate took her in as her own little pet." Fown scoffed. "She found her in the guts of an Eloi we feasted on. What sort of beginning like that."

"Shikha was very fortunate to be discovered by your mate. She is very much something special indeed."

"Her? I don't see what really. She was just a pet for Marn." Fown turned his head away. "She was a pet that was taught many tricks."

"I believe she was more then that. Being a mother myself." Fere frowned. "My own mate got killed several years ago though I really don't care to explain it. Just let me know when you want anything else."

Shikha had returned to their private cave. Mog was already inside grooming over his hairy arms and brushing away loose hairs. She rolled over on the bed next to him and grunted.

"Being busy I see." She smiled up at him. "I was talking to Fere. The old female that seems to lead the others."

"Taking care of that senile Fown too I noticed." He winked and licked his lips. Shikha rolled her eyes and pulled off her clothing. She usually preferred to sleep naked now. "It's time for bed now."

Mog pulled off his and joined her in their thick-sheeted bed and pulled the covers over them. He hovered over her and started grooming her face.

"Have a good sleep my mate." He pulled her hair aside and whispered in her ear.

Shikha wrapped her arms around him and snuggled her face against his chest. "So early? It's still early morning outside. Unless it's something else you are wanting."

"My back hurts from today." Mog excused. "I lifted something too heavy. I want to lie down because of that."

Shikha straddled his wide figure. "Fere showed me fossils of our ancestors. I should show you them tomorrow. It's so inspiring just the way they spread all over the walls like somebody squished them so hard into the rock."

"Really? That's quite a cave. Perhaps one day our bones will be stuck in rocks." Mog blinked at the ceiling. "I wonder what sort of disgusting pose we'll be in?"

Shikha leaned over his face and whispered her own answers to that question. Mog dropped his tongue out and raised his brow.

"Ugh sick Shikha." He chuckled. "You have a much dirtier mind then I will ever have."

"Yeah, yeah I bet your pals down at work all share much worse stories. You know what I overheard from one the other day? He was talking about his mate's ass in grand details and what he wanted to do with it. I am talking really deep details. It was really gross. You guys just talk about anything."

Mog turned a bright red from hearing this. "Oh I know that fella. Nasty, old, delusional Tippy that thinks everybody is vastly interested in his sex life. Most just listen to him because he tells it in a hysterical manner and just doesn't know how much of a perv he is. Plus during a hard days work you are just about willing to listen to anything." Mog side-glanced. "Except for his most dirty stories."

A loud groaning came from the entrance. Fown had his head poked in, giving them a very depressed look. "Oh I am in great pain. Do you know where Fere is? Oh I need something to drink too! She doesn't visit enough."

Mog rolled his eyes and snarled at him. "Why don't you go bother somebody else for a change? Not everybody wants to change your diapers."

Feeling extremely insulted, Fown dove head-first into their home. His head hit the rock with a hard smack and he simply laid there and started to groan again. "Oh you ugly, ugly brute. At least I'm not in love with a delicious snack." He lifted his face off the floor and glared at the young male. "I'm surprised of you Mog. You are one of the toughest males we have to offer and you decide to pair with her? Are you out of your mind? I thought your father raised you better."

"Piss off you old fart. I am not going to listen to anymore of your replayed preaching." Mog got up and crouched down in attack-mode. "Care to keep going?"

Fown had no desire to fight at the moment. Not in his pitiful condition. "You have so much potential. I just don't understand."

"You don't have to. Just remember this Fown. You dare place a finger on her and I will personally break your back in several places and allow you to starve." He barked back. "I mean what I say. I didn't get these scars for no reason."

Fown turned his blind eye towards him. "Oh don't worry. I get plenty of Eloi meat already. Perhaps when I am starving-"

Before the old Morlock could finish Mog sent him tumbling backwards against the cave wall. He flashed his tusks and roared in challenge. Fown shakily pulled himself back up on his hands and knees and echoed his own challenge.

"Stop it the both of you!" Fere stepped in and planted herself between the two bristled males. "Such silly fools. Fown what are you doing here? Quit trying to start fights or I will have you locked up."

Fown fell silent, only a tiny whine came from his throat. It always put him down deeply when a female had to talk to him like he was a disobedient child. Fere grabbed his wrist and yanked him out of the cave.

"Fown what has gotten into you? Are you mad?" Fere scolded him. "I told you I would see you later on during the day. You are much too weak to start fights and also too old for them anymore."

"I am never too old for anything female." He snapped back. "I am a fierce, strong male!"

"Oh quit showing off and sit down." She pushed down on his shoulders, sending him back onto his soft bedding. "Mog would have had your head easily."

"I know!" He roared with bulging eyes. "I know, I know. I just don't give a damn about my life anymore. Everything I love is gone and the Traveler once again smites us with his powerful hand. There is nothing I can do about it and I will never understand such hatred. I don't feel the need to live in such a world. Let me die now in this cave."

"Don't talk like that. It's all just fresh in your mind. Remember I have lost my love as well. It still hurts." She frowned.

"But you have children I bet. Don't you?" He questioned.

"Yes a few but most of them have moved on to other places to join other groups. What sort of child desires to linger with their mother for quite long?" Her voice dropped. "You are not alone."

"I never had any children." Fown shielded his face in shame. "My mate was never fertile enough. Only stillborn after stillborn and miscarriages. Each time she felt farther away from me. Often times she no longer had the desire to mate with me because of that reason." His head popped up with a scornful look. "Why am I telling you this anyways?"

Fere smiled and patted his shoulder. "You were a good mate I bet. It was nobody's fault."

Fown groaned and cradled his head in his crossed arms. "I am thirsty. I've tried to find some water but can't find it in this damned big place."

"I will get you some water." She looked around her shoulder. "I want you to leave Shikha alone. I feel you had reasons other then the lame attempt of eating her for disturbing them."

"Oh quit trying to figure me out and just get me some water," He grumbled. "please."


	12. Chapter 12 The Storyteller

**Chapter 12. The Storyteller

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**

"The two brothers stood apart from each other, facing eye to eye. Each man and all the women had to make their own decision. It was a decision of fate, either way all may die. Even though they may be of the same blood, mother and father. Their separate decisions on how they should leave were embedded into their minds made it harder. One chose to thrive underground in the deep caverns. The other on in the harsh hell above. They both were the same, all were one."

""Brother why won't you come with me? Together we can keep living in our world just as we always, all the same. Yes we had wars and yes we had slaughtered our world. Now it is void of life. No more birds to keep the air with sound, no more animals to keep us company and to eat. Still this is our life! We can change it!""

"The brother of the future Eloi shook his head. "No my brother this is not the way anymore! Yes there will be changes but not up here. This earth we have destroyed and now it shuns us. We have to live down below and shield ourselves in shame. We have killed everything." The Morlock brother turned away and led his followers into the deep caves down below the surface. Here they etched out a living in new ways. Their skin, once the sun was kind with, now burned if they even dared to show their backs to the light. Their lightless eyes flashed like a spark in the darkness, showing them the path in their ever-black world. Their lust for prey grew stronger then ever before and soon they hunted their brothers as most other creatures soon disappeared."

"The Eloi brethren had stayed in their home. A different fate over took them and they became weak and under-minded and soon became the prey of their Morlock brothers. Now only the Morlocks themselves know of the past and how it came to be. To the Eloi it had all washed away from their memories. No more storytelling, no more sharing of tales of myths and journeys on their part. They have become our life as we are theirs. Lest we may forget, the Eloi, however stupid they may have become, are what keeps us going. We must remember to treat them with ever most kindness till the end of their slaughter. Do all Morlocks take part of this code? No not all. Some are extremely abusive and kill their Eloi with utmost methods of torture. Together we have a tie that binds us permanently. Predator and prey, slave and captive. However you desire to call it. Never look down on our one past brothers. Now their fate was of their own fault as ours our own. Eloi and Morlocks! Our little children of the past!"

Fere raised her hands into the air and bellowed out the last line. The other Morlocks repeated the same line in unison. At a first glance it made seem like they worshipped their food, in a way they did. At the back an Eloi was lead forth and it's neck broken in a sharp snap of the head. It's blood was drained into a bowl and given to Fere. She dipped it back and sipped the steaming, fresh fluid. Here it was passed around to the others. Fere took a few choice pieces of the Eloi and brought them to Fown's cave. The old male was growing stronger and fatter each day.

"You should be strong enough to feed yourself now." Fere dropped the meat in front of him. "You were strong enough to be at the ceremony as well."

"I don't believe in any of that Eloi and Morlock crap. They are our food and that's that." Fown snuffed. "It was their own fault, so why do we have to treat them with kindness? They deserve it for drowning their own world out with stupidity."

Fere furrowed her brow at him. "Feel that way if you want too. Don't you dare tell me in my face that it is crap. Be happy I am the only one here that is willing to feed your stupid ass. I have met much less Eloi that needed pampering."

Fown leapt up and clamped his hand around her neck and shoved her against the wall.

"You dare compare me to an Eloi again I will personally make a meal out of you!" He snarled in rage. "I don't need your help anymore! Dare tempt my anger any further!"

"Dare to harm me then. Trust me I have many allies in these caverns and far beyond." Fere coughed. "You have nothing to gain in killing me."

Fown snorted in her face and dropped his hand. "Don't see me anymore."

Fere glared back at him with disgust. "Typical of you. No thank you, just a sneer. I will expect to see you working and hunting for your own share for now on." She left him with a few curse words.

Fown felt his hair standing up on end on his shoulders. Spittle drooled down the side of his crooked mouth. For the moment he felt awful to talking to Fere that way. He was angry at her because she was right. He far lagged behind on growing accustomed to this new life. These Morlocks acting so strangely compared to what he had grown up with. Everybody was gruff and sloppy in his world. Everybody treated the Eloi as the simple meals they were. If you were hurt you were on your own unless you had a mate to help you along. Growing up, he had learned right away it was extremely important to have a partner. Not only was this mate supposed to be your lover but also your crutch at bad times. It perceived him as strange how Fere instantly started to take care of him. If this had happened at his own place he would have probably taken her as a new mate but he knew right away by their strange customs it was only meant to be kind. He highly doubted that she had the same ideas floating in her head. Now he had ruined any chance of gaining a friend.

"Damn you Fown, you stubborn brute. Have to keep your balls in your head and chase everybody away." He grunted out loud to himself. "I should make it up to her. I would hunt for her but they keep their Eloi down below for now so that is pointless. Maybe I can find her some old things of man." He paused for a moment. "Oh wait! That place where I scented Shikha and Mog's old scent at once. That old cave with the strange things. I remember taking something."

Fown dug around in his things that he had collected with him over his journey. Morlocks like collecting things on occasion that peaked their interest. He pulled out a musty box that seemed so ancient it would crumble at any slight pressure. Actually it was fairly strong and carved out of some very tough stone. It had a rusted lock that held the two halves together.

"I told you he was a total ass." Mog grumbled at Fere. "Your neck is red. Did he do that to you?"

"No he didn't touch me." Fere answered in his defense. "He only yelled, he's still very depressed about the devastation. I don't know if he will ever fully heal."

"Shouldn't stand up for him. He's always been an ass even before his mate got killed." Mog shook his head. "I will never forgive him for threatening Shikha."

"I like your stories Fere." Shikha commented. "I hope to listen to more."

"Thank you dear. Now I should return to the others." Fere smiled and left them. In reality she had nothing to do that day but she still felt shaken up from Fown's ugly temperament that she wanted to just crawl up in the corner of her cave and cry. She wasn't used to such negative reactions from her kind.

To her greatest dread Fown showed up in her cave later on. Was he here to finish his deadly deed? Now she was trapped and there would be no way to dart around him to escape.

Fown sensed her fear growing at his every move towards her. He made himself look in every way possible as submissive. He went down on his hands and knees and crept closer.

"Fere I wanted to say something." He winced. "Um I have something that you might like. It's a-I mean it's a thank you present."

"So you didn't come here to hurt me." Fere snarled. "Feel bad for being such an ugly brute?"

"Yes I am." Fown blushed. "I was very nasty and you don't deserve that from me or anybody."

Fere admitted him to come as close as he wanted despite keeping an eye on his teeth and claws. She scented another hint from his body as well. He leaned forward and nibbled on her shoulder. His eyes fell shut and he leaned against her, further digging his teeth into her.

She popped him upside the face and huffed. Fown blinked in confusion and rubbed his red cheek, feeling very embarrassed.

"I am sorry! Please forgive me." He pleaded, pulling out the present he had for her. "I didn't mean to do that. Here is the gift I wanted to give to you. I found it in an old cave I believe Man had once stayed in. They made this."

Fere had all forgotten about the little lustful moment and grabbed the box. It was surely ancient and not in the style any Morlock she has seen make it as.

"Were there other things as well? In this cave you found it in?" She gasped.

"Oh yes many things. Those strange things they used to write stuff on and rusted clumps of machinery they once used." Fown puffed his chest out, feeling he had done good. "It was a place where Man had once stayed in."

"I would have imagined most such places would be long gone." She marveled, feeling her fingers around the exterior and the hinges. "It is hollow. I can hear something inside it."

"I don't know how to open it. Unless you want to smash it open." Fown laid his chin on her shoulder. "It's for you to keep and do what you want with it."

Fere beamed at him and rubbed her nose against his cheek. "You are too kind."

"I am glad you like it." He pressed his tusks against her neck. "You are very sweet and kind."

Fere pushed her elbow into his stomach and leaned forward away from his teeth. "Now Fown that doesn't mean you have free access to fulfill your pleasures with my body."

"Oh I am sorry. I just can't help it." Fown got up. "I should now start working my shifts now. I am rather missing working with those precious machines. Perhaps repair a few water pipes as well." He joked. "Well good day."

"Good day Fown." She winked at him and returned her attention to the strange box. "He has a kind heart."


	13. Chapter 13 Call of the Sirens

**Chapter 13. Call of the Sirens

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**

Shikha wandered out into broad daylight as she occasionally did to soak up the sun's rays. She didn't know why she needed to but she would start to feel sick otherwise. The light blinded and burned her from the lack of being outside during the day. Mog was down bellow catching his sleep, his snores were so loud she swore she could hear them all the way out here.

The little Eloi had no idea how far out she had wandered to collect fruits. Soon she came across the old shelters the Morlocks had kept their livestock in originally. She picked up the stray bowls and placed one in her bag that had less chips then the others. Suddenly a whirling noise came to her ears. It moved her deeply and she felt herself sway to the sound of it's beckoning call. Her eyes grew heavy and she smiled faintly. All thoughts of her Morlock friends fell away and only left her with empty blackness.

She steadily followed the sweet call through the forest until it soon grew quiet, leaving her standing there in an unknown place far from home. She looked around at the strange environment and began to call out for Mog.

"I'm probably so far from home he would never hear me." She sobbed, as she went on. The trees ended abruptly, revealing a small village. She figured it was another Eloi village telling by the figures walking around it. "Maybe there is another underground nearby."

Shikha sprinted down to the other Eloi's and started to find any detailed clues of a hunting trail. There was nothing, only the wandering dead heads around a few rebuilt ruins and a burnt Sphinx. She noticed another thing. Some of the Eloi here were well-aged, well beyond what a Morlock would allow. Children bounced around everywhere and the males chased after their woman. It was the same typical behavior she encountered at the last Eloi village she stayed at. She didn't even bother to speak to them, only wandered around in clueless circles around the buildings. Inside one of the buildings one Eloi attracted her attention. He stood much taller then the rest and his hair was a dark brown. His clothing was very strange as well. She approached him and tilted her head. Who was this strange creature? He was not an Eloi and not a Morlock.

The strange man stared down at her and smiled, speaking a few words she didn't understand. Another strange creature resembling him approached them.

"What a keen little Eloi." One of them said. "Just look at the way she stares at you. Just shows you how much curiosity they really do have."

Shikha perked up and began to utter her strange grunts and groans at them. Their once smiling faces twisted into confusion.

"My goodness what is wrong with her voice? Is she sick?" The creature gasped.

"Maybe she's just making up noises to make us laugh at her." The other one pointed out. "They do sound rather funny."

Shikha rolled her eyes. Even they couldn't understand her language. The creatures seemed rather harmless so she didn't run away. Perhaps they were some type of Eloi the Morlocks don't know about.

"What type of creatures are you?" She asked again in a slower tone. They only continued to stare at her. Perhaps they were just as stupid as the other Eloi. She snorted at them and continued to wander around the room. Around her laid books and papers. These ones were very fresh. She climbed up on the desk and started to shuffle through the papers. The creatures came close and one grabbed her by the arm. She reacted with a shrill squeal and backed up against the wall.

"Oh don't worry little one we aren't here to harm you." One of them coaxed her.

"Did you see that reaction? She was protecting herself, violently as well." One of them praised. "I would like to keep her around for studying. She might be a new link towards their evolution."

"Well lets not frighten her away. Let her feel comfortable here," One of the creatures offered her candy. "Here taste this little sweetie."

Shikha took the candy and sniffed at it. Slowly she licked at it with her tongue. It had a sour flavor like some of the berries had. She sat back down on the desk and kept an eye on them.

"She has the most foul stench attached to her." One of them commented, wrinkling his nose. "She smells like those ugly brutes down below."

"Perhaps she escaped from them. Probably heard the sirens and came to be liberated." The dark haired one said. "Poor thing was probably about to be eaten. Look at the bite marks on her shoulders. Poor little Eloi."

"I wanna go back home. Mog must be very worried about me." Shikha whined. "What if I never find my way back?"

"I wonder if she's pregnant," The dark haired once reached out to her. "She does have a peculiar roundness to her stomach. Maybe that's why she's so anxious."

Shikha went to go explore the other rooms. She came across bones of Morlocks and one that stood frozen in place on some wooden stand.

"Hello there! How can you stand in the sunlight? Is it some type of new trick?" She asked the still figure. It only stood there still as stone, locked in it's pose. Even it's gnarly expression didn't change nor did his eyes blink. She reached out to him and patted his arm. It was stiff as wood! She squeaked and fell backwards. This Morlock was dead! How did he manage to stay like this and not rot away? Perhaps the strange creatures did this to him.

"Oh yes dear isn't that a frightening creature? I bet it reminds you of many horrible things. Poor little Eloi, don't be scared. He's good as dead now." The creature smiled.

Shikha didn't understand what all his smiles were about. This was a dead Morlock! How could he just stand there and laugh on about it? Maybe he hated Morlocks.

"I cannot stay here." Shikha breathed. "If they do this to Morlocks then I am not safe and neither is my family."

She backed away slowly out the door. Outside the sun was fast setting, there is no way she would be able to make it back home blinded. Her eyes swelled with tears and her legs shook with fear. Now she would have to stay here in this horrible place over night.

"Mog! Where are you?!" She called out on the edge of the village. "Mog! Mog!"

There was no answering bellow. It was unlikely he could hear her voice. The other Eloi stood around her, gawking at her strange moaning.

"There she goes again with those strange sounds. I say we should keep her and check up on her health. Especially if she is pregnant." The tall creatures were back again. One of them reached out and grabbed her by the arms. She bared her teeth and tried to snap at them with her sharpish teeth.

"Let go of me! Mog! Mog! Can you hear me anywhere!?" She cried out again as they pulled her away.

"My God she shrieks worse then guinea fowl!" One of them said. "What is she calling out for? An Eloi mate?"

"It could be anything. I have never heard any Eloi make a call like that." The dark-haired one pat her head in reassurance. "Don't worry we won't harm you."

Shikha found herself locked away in a small room with fruits and toys. No matter how serene the place seemed, she still tried to claw her way out. Hopefully Mog will be able to track her back here. Unless it starts to rain and washes away all evidence of her existence.

"Fere! Do you know where Shikha went off too?" Mog came pounding into her home. "She is gone!"

Fere dropped her work and looked around. "No I haven't. Well I remember she said she went up during the daylight to fetch some fruit."

"She should have been back ages ago!" Mog cried. One thought crossed his mind and he stomped to Fown's place. He snarled in rage and bellowed. "Where is Shikha?!"

Fown jumped out from his slumber with bristled hair. "What? I didn't do anything to her! Haven't seen her at all today! Why?"

The old male couldn't be lying. There wasn't a trace of his mate's scent in this cave nor one on Fown. Mog backed out and ran out to the outside world. His breath was quick and so was his heart. He hoped to find her okay. Maybe she had fallen someplace and broke a leg?

In the tree lines he began to pick up a faint but familiar scent. His heart jumped when he recognized it as Shikha's. He kept his nose keen on her trail and followed it through the woods till he reached it ending in a vast field. Down below was a village on fire! Mog snorted and tilted his head. No it wasn't on fire but had flames lit around it. Perhaps it was to keep out the Morlocks. He shook his head and shielded his eyes.

"No I must go down and find Shikha. I will go in high light if that's what it takes to bring her back home." He groaned to himself. The lonely Morlock lowered his eyes to the ground and followed her trail towards the village. The flames burned brightly into his painful eyes. Instinctively he drew back and covered his face.

"Shikha! Where are you!?" He called out. "Please answer me!" His mate heard his deep voice. He was not too far now. She leapt up against the door and called back out to him. Any moment now he would burst through the door and take her back home.

Her scent grew stronger now and he urged himself forward. He had a sudden feeling of alarm as a loud snap and a noose tightened itself around a leg. His eyes bulged and he went over backwards. His body shot up a few feet into the air, leaving him dangling. What was this strange contraption?

He squealed loudly and kicked out. He was trapped! The flames spun around and teased his sensitive eyes as he beat the air with his claws.

"Morlock! We have a Morlock! Quick Jones get the dart!" One creature called out. "Quick hurry before he snaps the line."

Mog felt a sharp stab in his side and a deep sleep overtake him. His eyes rolled back and his mouth dropped open. The two creatures stood on either side of him and a few Eloi crowded around to stare.

"Look at the ugly brute we just caught!" Jones boasted. "Big heavy buck George!"

"He should be good enough for your experiments then do you say?" The dark haired one answered. "I say lets take a hose to him before dragging his carcass in. He'll just leave an ugly smell everywhere in the rooms."

Mog whined weakly in his throat. He tried to lift his head to view the world but only a piercing light clamped his eyes shut. The Morlock lifted his head and groaned in pain. His head was swimming and so was the ground he laid on.

"Cut the lights dim will you George? I want to keep him calm." One of his captives whispered. "I'll give him more sedatives to keep him docile."

"He still smells awful." George put his gloves on and poked at the Morlock's skin.

"I'm guessing they have some sort of a musk? Like goat bucks do." Jones grabbed the Morlock's face and rubbed his fingers across his lips. A sticky residue smears across his hand from the corner of his mouth. "Ah a scent gland." He waved his fingers close to his nose and winced. "Oi that's where it comes from."

"Such disgusting forms man has degraded into." George wrinkled his nose and sat back into a chair.

"I honestly wouldn't call it degrading. Just a different form." Jones answered. "I'm curious on how intelligent they are."

"Call it what you like." George didn't want to fuss with what they thought about the Morlocks. Nothing would change his mind that he would always think they were disgusting vermin.

Mog only stared down at his hairy legs. He didn't care about anything and wouldn't even think of moving. The voices he heard around him were only a blur. He leaned forward as the creature propped his arms in his lap.

"Evolution is such an interesting subject," Jones began. "I wonder why their fourth and fifth digits disappeared. I guess we have no use for them anymore." He studied Mog's hand. "Thick claws with dried blood on them."

"Probably from his Eloi snack." George growled. "Dirty beast. Haven't you already studied all this with Shadow?"

Jones shook his head. He had been invited over from a different period. He and George met when the Time Traveler went on one of his time adventures. Both had different views on the creatures around them. To him the Morlocks and Eloi's were just humanoid animals doing what they do. It was very intriguing how his own kind had split and now one feasted on the other. He was wanting to keep a journal written on his discoveries.

"Well I wanted to see if anything was similar with a wild one. I wouldn't mind catching a female too. I still haven't managed to come across one so I don't know how they look." Jones took samples of his subject's hand.

"Maybe they are asexual or just clone themselves. Or maybe the females are the same ugly looking brutes as the males." George added.

"Well definitely not asexual since Shadow has the parts. Remember when he hit puberty? Oh dear." Jones informed. "I think they do produce the same way their Eloi's do."

"That's a disgusting thought." George bit his lower lip. "I am guessing they keep their females down below? Who knows the Morlocks might run a male-dominated society and keep their females as breeding slaves."

Jones inspected his teeth, prying open his mouth to view his bottom molars. "Their teeth have almost fully evolved for just eating meat. Interesting front teeth they have. I am guessing they have many uses. Fighting, stabbing their prey, showing off for mates. Shadow likes to click his together to attract our attention."

"You should wear a mask. His breath might drive you sick." George clasped his hands.

"Speaking of prey we need to supply him with some sort of meals." Jones said concerned. "He can't have a herbivore's diet."

"Well we do have a supply of beef and mutton down below in the freezer. We also have the few livestock outside we keep." George waved his finger. "I don't know how much he eats though. Telling by how fat he is I bet a lot."

"Maybe. I am going to study his metabolism too. He has a fairly slow heart rate compared to ours." Jones wiped his gloves on the Morlock's clothing. Mog rolled backwards against the board he was lain on and dropped his arms out beside him. "He will be out of it for awhile."

Mog was transferred to a well-secured unit. At least here the place was dark enough to stand. It wasn't till a few hours later when Mog became more aware of his surroundings. He toppled and wobbled over himself. His mind whirled in circles, making him vomit on top of his straw bedding.

"Where am I? Shikha? I can smell you I think." Mog whimpered. "I feel so damn sick."

He rolled back over on his stomach, deciding to wait till this fogginess would dissipate from his mind. As his consciousness came back around so did his hunger pangs. The smell of Eloi drove his senses crazy. He clawed desperately at the iron bars that held him in and roared.

"Oh I see he's awake." Jones popped his head in. "Is somebody angry?"

Mog backed away from the bars and snorted. From the back of his mind he had a distant memory of these tall creatures. Nightmares of the Time Traveler. Mog raised his head and flashed his tusks in a threat. Every hair on his body stood on end.

"They seem to use their hair to make them appear larger then normal. Somewhat like a cat does." Jones said out loud. "I understand you are angry. Feeling sick and in a strange place. I would be too."

"I doubt he understands you." George leaned against the door. "Ferocious animal as you can see. You better watch out."

"Of course George. I used to study African predators as well. Well what was left of them in my time." Jones sighed.

A dainty Eloi female appeared from behind George. At first Mog thought it was his own mate.

"What is going on?" The female spoke in her sweet voice. The strange creature she stood by dropped an arm around her small shoulders.

"Nothings Weena my dear. Jones just caught one of them ugly Morlocks." George told her. "Don't worry he can't get to you."

Mog glared at the female and licked his lips. No she was not his mate. Jones smiled and stepped outside. "I should go fetch him something to eat."

"How are the kids?" George asked Weena as they walked out. "I hope today they didn't try and skip their studies."

Shikha hardly slept a wink since she was locked in the small room. She swore she had heard his voice earlier on. She rolled over on her belly and cried his name.

A few Eloi would peek in now and then. Shikha snarled at them all for being so delusional and uncaring. Soon those awful creatures showed up again, sending her into another fit of rage.

"I don't understand her at all. I bet you she is sick." Jones opened the door and offered her his hand.

Shikha flattened herself against the wall and hissed. "Come a step closer and I will sink my teeth into your veins."

She dove underneath his legs and shot out the door. Darting around the rooms and the Eloi she had almost fallen into the hands of the other evil creature. She screamed and hid inside the lab. A snarl from behind made her spin around. To her most utter joy it was somebody she recognized.

"Mog? Is that you?" She cried. "Oh Mog!"

The Morlock raised his head with widened eyes. "Shikha!" He reached through the bars as far as the narrow bars would allow. "I was looking everywhere for you! Why did you wander off so far?"

"I didn't mean to. I heard such a mesmerizing sound that I had to follow. I am so sorry! I want to leave this place!" It had just dawned to her that he was trapped in a cage as well. She jerked on the bars and started to sob again. "They have you too!"

"Go now Shikha. Go back to the others before they catch you." He stroked her face. "I don't want them to harm you."

"I am not leaving you here." Shikha shook her head. "You are my mate and I will stick by your side no matter the place or the danger."

"Don't be so stubborn." Mog frowned.

"I get it from you." She smiled and rubbed her nose against his. "You can't change my mind."

"There you are!" Jones entered the room. "Keep away from that monster!"


	14. Chapter 14 The Tame One

**Chapter 14. The Tame One

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**

_Several years ago…_

Little Katie fiddled around in the burning garbage, poking aside bones and ashes with a stick. Her father had found and demolished yet another Morlock's lair. A tiny shrieking nearby a well-hidden bush caught her attention. She crawled underneath of it to find a freshly burrowed hole. Inside two eyes squealed back at her in fear.

"Hey look poppa!" She grabbed the leg of this creature and yanked him out. It was a Morlock toddler. "A Morwock baby!"

"Oh dear." Jones, a friend of her father, was first on the scene. "Poor little rascal. Here I got an idea." He pulled a long rag out from his backpack and wrapped it around the little Morlock. "We should keep him! He would be very useful for studying."

"I wanna name it!" Katie blurted out. "I wanna name the Morwock!" "Okay you give him a name then." Jones smiled as he tried to calm the squirming baby.

"How about Fatty? Or maybe Spots!" She cheered.

"Well he isn't a dog. Think of a name for a human baby." Jones corrected. "How about Shadow. It suits any Morlock very well."

"Shadow! Shadow!" The girl jumped up and down and patted the bundle. "I love that name!"

_Present time…_

George sat at his desk, sorting out books and paperwork. His oldest daughter waltzed by the door for a quick wave. Her father stood concerned and waved her back in. "I want you to watch out okay? We have a wild Morlock locked up and a strange Eloi as well. Be careful."

"Of course daddy." She hugged him and went on her way. A large three-story house stood facing the beautiful field of tall grass and white flowers. Long vines twisted themselves around the planks and pedestals of the porch. She went inside and entered a large dark room. Something inside seemed different from the rest of the Eloi that would regularly tread inside. The girl stopped to a complete halt and lowered herself. Behind her suddenly a roar rumbled throughout the room. She spun around and gasped, shielding her face from the terrible threat.

It was a Morlock! The pale creature pounced on her with jutting tusks ready to pierce her soft neck. His heavy weight pinned her down on the ground, giving her no chance at all of survival.

"Argh! Stop it Shadow! You're too heavy!" She pressed her hands against his chest and pushed. The Morlock rolled off and started to wave his hands about frantically. He raised his head up and hollered out in joy to see her.

"_I-missed-you-Katie." _The collar around his neck translated his groaning for her. _"Is-it-dark-outside-yet?" _

"No it's only noon silly." She patted his head. "Jones caught a Morlock last night and some strange Eloi. I don't know what he means by that."

"_Could-we-see-them? Never-seen-another-Morlock-up-close." _His collar echoed.

"We could try and sneak in." Katie pulled her dirty blonde hair from her face. "But first you have to feed the horses and the livestock."

Shadow plopped down on the floor and started to chew on some of the cow bones from his left over dinner. Unlike other types of carnivores, Morlocks had no top molars. So when they chewed on something hard they used their very hard canines. Typically a wild Morlock rarely chewed anything. They simply ate the softer meat and would smash the bones to get at the soft marrow inside. Only the offspring had milk molars on the top jaw. Shadow lived a boring lifestyle compared to the others of his kind so he had a habit to chew things. Here Jones had learned to age a young Morlock by how many top baby molars it had lost.

He was also quite a large male for a Morlock only because he was very well-fed. He had shiny, white tusks and flashy long hair from lack of cutting it. Unlike the scraggly Morlocks down below he was well-kept and very clean. Never less he still had that putrid Morlock musk lingering around on his body. Katie had long since grown used to it but her father, George, could never get over the awful stench.

The giant male was extremely friendly and enjoyed playing constant games with his hybrid friend. He also enjoyed putting parts of objects together being that it was bred into his blood. To a stranger Shadow would look very formidable.

Katie picked up a brush and ran it through the long hair on his arms. Being washed constantly it was a gentle, silky texture. Often times he had a haircut as Morlock fur grew very fast. What Katie gathered up she would twist and turn it into thin yarn ropes and store it away for some use. Her father resented this because the yarn had the awful stench attached to it.

Shadow leaned forward and rubbed his face against her chest and under her chin. Morlocks often instinctively rubbed their cheeks against a friend's body, showing and strengthening bonds. The more Morlocks could scent an individual the more allies they know that individual had. Katie was the best friend he had, so he made sure she sure smelled like it. Katie gently pushed his face away and rubbed the stinky oily residue off on her clothing, further spreading it. Often he tried spreading the "bond" around on the other family members but they quickly moved away when he tried, hurting his feelings.

When night finally fell Shadow darted out from his homely prison to feed the livestock and walked among the crowds of Eloi that slept around him. The Eloi seemed to prefer sleeping under the stars rather then in a house so they typically stayed outside. Being used to Shadow, the Eloi paid no mind to him. In earlier times he attempted to play with them. He found them too fragile and Katie's father often punished him. He grew distant of the shallow blonde heads and kept to himself and Katie.

Now that Shadow was coming on his eighteenth year his feelings began to warp his psyche. He became less playful and felt more aggressive. Sometimes he would charge the Eloi and flair out his hair, making him take on the appearance of some big fluffy dog. Deep inside his mind he wanted to sink his tusks into their tiny necks and rip the blonde heads off.

Another lure that he had rising up in himself was the discover his own kind. Only rarely did he manage to sight a few Morlocks if they dared to come close enough to his home. Never had he talked to one before or actually been to one up close. In his dreams he would meet the Morlocks. They would only stare at him and distance themselves, driving him mad with craze. He would shriek at the top of his voice, begging them to stay.

Now again this night he felt that calling again. After taking care of the animals, he sat on the edge of the hill and stared at the burnt Sphinx that once housed Morlocks years ago. Inside the burnt chambers below he could still pick up a faint whiff of a past Morlock with his strong nose. He had no idea how his brethren had died down between the burnt walls and rusting machinery. Most of the areas were caved in, revealing burnt bones of his kind to the sun. Deep inside he felt somebody else rage up, making him throw back his head and issue a shrill cry to the stars. The Eloi down below tucked their heads in between their legs and fell silent. The young male's hair bristled as he snorted the night air. Tonight was that night he should seek the others.

"Shadow where are you going off to? Dad will be very angry." Katie stepped up next to him. The Morlock threw her a wary glance and groaned loudly in his calling again. His voice raised to a high pitched shriek that human ears could not stand. Being half Eloi, Katie could only tolerate it. She winced and raised her hands.

"What's wrong?" She questioned.

"_I-want-to-see-the-others-of-my-kind."_ He huffed. _"I-have-no-idea-why-but-I-do."_

"Dad would be extremely angry for that. You know how he is about you being influenced by outsiders." Katie warned. Her father always constantly told them how one day Shadow might turn on them considering he was a blood-thirsty Morlock. She wouldn't believe him, he never liked the underground dwellers anyways.

"Anyways don't you wanna check out that wild Morlock Jones caught?" She continued. "And did you feed the animals? Dad wants you to work the horses."

Shadow faced her and nodded. _"I-forgot-all-about-that. Yes-lets-go-see."_

Mog was slumped against the back of his prison, staring out through the bars. He stiffened up as he heard somebody enter the lab. Slowly he flattened himself to the floor and murmured softly incase it was his soft mate.

"Be quiet now Shadow. He's really mean." Katie led him inside. Shadow walked up to the cage and peeked inside. Mog flared out the hair along his shoulder and begun to growl. The sight of seeing another one of his kind up close also made the tame Morlock's hair stand on end. He smiled and pressed his face against he bars

"Hello friend! Me Shadow!" He grunted in the only amount of Morlock he knew how to speak.

Mog suddenly slammed his body against the bars and roared in return. "I don't give a damn who you are you pet!" The scarred Morlock narrowed his eyes. "Yes do you even know why you are living with them? Don't you even have a family of your own kind?"

"No, master raised me." Shadow lowered his head. "Why wrong with that?"

"The man who raised you slaughtered your parents." Mog snorted and sat back against the walls. "You feed and beg from him like an Eloi I bet."

Shadow shook his head violently and whimpered. "That not true! Me born here!"

"Are you dense? You are a Morlock living in a pack of stupid men and Eloi. Unless you just believe some stray blonde popped your miserable ass out randomly." Mog teased with a sneer. "The man you live with kills your kind for fun. It is true! My parents went the same way. In the beginning me and you were the same."

"I no believe that!" Shadow hit the bars and turned out of the room with Katie behind him.

"Stupid foolish Morlock." Mog frowned. "He will get a very rude awakening."

Shikha lay hidden in a group of Eloi who sat gathered around a large fruiting tree. She had once again escaped from the grasp of the evil men. Now she only waited to think about how to break out her mate Mog. The Eloi around her were a very cuddly sort and kept hugging onto her and speaking soft simple words to one another. The one common word they all seemed to shout often was "Prambee". They often used it when one of the strange men would come out and feed them fruit. Shikha noticed they didn't have a complex language like the men and the Morlocks seemed to have. So far she only picked up a total of seven different words from them. They usually only used a word to describe something. It was usually food or water or the night time. All of the Eloi obviously came from different backgrounds. Most of them looked very much the same but some were very fearful of the night, some didn't care and some seemed to actually cling to the Morlocks. She noticed this the other night when a lone Morlock was wandering around the yard with several Eloi following behind him. At first she mistaken him for Mog until she noticed the long wavy hair he sported. Also the odd manner he seemed to carry himself as. She soon came to realize the human family had a Morlock addition ironically.

She attempted to speak to the Morlock but found him very limited in his original tongue. For being such a large and broad male he lacked highly in any confidence and aggression. It was a sad sight in her eyes. Though the family probably meant well and the tame Morlock didn't know, he was extremely blind to his true self and his life was cruel.

Some of the Eloi's poked at her enlarged stomach, knowing she was carrying life inside. Shikha brushed their hands away and felt the round of her belly. She wondered if Mog had noticed it before they were captured.

"Tonight I shall let him loose. I have to try before they attempt anymore experiments on him." She told herself in thought. "I can't stand to be here another night."

As the short day fell back into darkness, George and his family were preparing for dinner. Weena had yet to cook properly despite attempting to learn for over twenty years. The best recipe she could muster was a fruit salad, which in fact was actually quite tasty and popular for the family. Jones felt like part of the family so he always joined in during meal time. Shadow rarely participated as George didn't want to smell him from across the table. But his usual excuse was that since nobody can see their food in the dark it was rather pointless to have Shadow suffer eating with the lights on.

Katie munched slowly on her steak, being part Eloi she wasn't particularly fond of meat even though she still needed a small amount in her diet. Her two other brothers and her other sister ate quietly amongst themselves. Katie was never really close to her siblings naturally.

Being part Eloi affected the family very much. Weena herself didn't hold the greatest bond with her children as George did. It wasn't her fault because of the centuries of breeding prevented this sort of ever-lasting bonding. Of course she was still very sweet to them all and did the best she could. The children too had lost the bond they had with both their parents and would occasionally drift in and out with the other Eloi to just play. Like Katie they had a much higher intelligence rate then their mother but their other half downplayed it often.

Katie herself being more self-aware couldn't help but feel connected to the Eloi as well despite the fact she enjoyed being with Shadow. On many occasions she felt that deep fear that most Eloi had when approached by the ugly Morlocks.

The Eloi blood in them seemed to very dominate in genetics as all of George's children looked nothing like him. You could throw them in the crowd of the gentle people and never be able to point them out if in the proper clothing. It was only their higher intelligence that made them more distinguishable.

Being that older age now Katie found herself constantly courted by the Eloi males. She had no interest in them as they wanted to start no lasting relationship with her. They would only approach her out of nowhere and start to wrap their arms around her and attempt to kiss. It was their way of saying "hey lets have sex."

"Can Shadow come inside now since we're finished?" Katie asked after pulling herself out of one of her daydreams. "Wanted to read stories with him."

"Not tonight now Katie. Since the nights come earlier now in this season the Morlocks are closer then usual."

Katie wanted to protest on what that had anything to do Shadow but figured this was going to be a loosing battle anyways. Little did she realize that Shadow was already wandering around the porches of the house, wishing he could find a way to climb inside and see his friend that way. Some of the Eloi, as usual, followed his heels. An injured female was rolling on the ground nearby in agony. Her tiny body writhed about in pain. She had fallen from the tree beside her and shattered both her legs. Shadow snorted and stared at her in a tense posture. There were those feelings again.

The tame Morlock came closer and sniffed at the puddle of blood smeared across the grass. His nostrils flared and his parted his lips to lap it up. The taste of the minerals in the blood brought pleasure to him. The hair along his back and shoulders flared out as he purred softly beneath his breath.

Red came over him as he found himself sinking his teeth into the Eloi's neck and shaking her small figure about like mad. Before he was even finished the other blonde's moving fast around him triggered another deep feeling inside of him. He suddenly shot out after them in a fit of raging roars and fell one by one till the yard was covered in bloody bodies.

George and Jones heard the commotion and charged outside with a shotgun. A misaimed shot brought down an Eloi instead of the Morlock. Shadow snapped out of his red trance when the shot came close to range near him. He halted and drew down to the ground and pleaded forgiveness.

"It was bloody Shadow!" George roared. "What the hell do you think you are doing to the Eloi?!" He pointed at the carpet of dead bodies beneath him.

Shadow lowered his head as he felt himself being clouted over the head with a horse whip. George grabbed him by the hair on his head and dragged him to the lab. Jones followed closely behind him.

"Lock him up Jones. I can't have him doing mass murders! My own people!" George snarled and left. Shadow had sunk down whimpering with his head hiding under his hairy arms. Blood was splattered across his face and hands from his victims.

"I am sorry Shadow but why did you do such an awful thing? You should know better." Jones asked calmly, giving him a towel.

"_I-didn't-mean-to!-There-was-some-sick-Eloi-that-was-bleeding-everywhere-and-I-just-smelt-the-blood-and-it-was-nice." _He pressed his nose into the damp towel and inhaled deeply. "_They-tasted-very-nicely_."

"Stop talking like that Shadow." Warned Jones, feeling disturbed by his dark behavior. "Stay away from the Eloi at all costs Shadow or next time I won't miss with the gun."

Shadow's jaw dropped and he gasped. "_What-do-you-mean-by-that?_"

Jones rubbed his hand against his damp forehead and sighed. "We can't have you endangering the family Shadow. If you are eager enough to kill Eloi you are just as eager to kill George's family."

"_Never!_" Shadow shook his head and cried. "_I-never-hurt-my-own-friends!_"

"I am sorry Shadow but this is for the best." He locked cuffs around the Morlocks hands and kept him closed up in another unit. The Morlock sunk down on his bottom and cried out loud in hope it will soften Jones's heart enough to let him back out. Sadly to no avail, Jones turned away and didn't heed to his pitiful cries.

The lab was heavy with the scent of other Morlocks and medical supplies. Shadow whimpered and rocked back and forth on his fabric bedding. His silent companion from across the room snarled at him. Mog was still confined to his cramped unit and not doing so well. He stared wild-eyed and fangs bared at Shadow.

"Shut up you fucking pet! Only a few minutes and you are already bitching your head off! Shut up you worthless hunk of hair! Undeserving of whatever balls you even have!" Mog whapped at the bars. Shadow bit his bottom lip hard and whimpered to himself.

"I don't want to live here anymore. I made my decision!" Shadow grunted in what Morlock tongue he knew. "The master never liked me and now I'm being locked up."

"For whatever reason I may ask? Did you piss on his bed sheets?" Mog sneered. "See I told you that master you beg for treats from is a Morlock killer."

"I killed some Eloi. I didn't mean too! I just had that feeling and I had to." Shadow wiped his eyes.

"It's bloodlust." Mog answered slyly. "All of our kind feel it because it is natural."

"It's natural to kill Eloi?" Shadow lifted his chin up.

"Of course it is! They are our food! Our life source! For centuries we have always been their masters! We have always feasted on the Eloi. It is how the world is." Mog snapped at him. "You did nothing wrong!"

Mog's defiant voice made Shadow's hair raise with confidence. "You are right. I won't stay here any longer! But what about Katie. I'm her only friend."

"Katie his daughter? So? Leave them all anyways. Better yet you should kill them and drink their blood." Mog gritted his teeth at the delicious thought.

"Never! I would never eat Katie! She's been my only friend ever." Shadow fell back against the wall. "I often wished I wasn't this horrid beast that I am now."

"You should be proud to be a Morlock." Mog snorted. "I hate that stupid band around your neck. It keeps repeating your words in their nasty sounds."

"I can turn it off." Shadow reached back and pushed a button. "There."

"Better. Keep it off if you want to live with Morlocks. Otherwise they will just think they have people stalking them." Mog leaned back against the bars. He closed his eyes and whispered to himself. "Oh I wish to see my mate."

"I wish I had a mate." Shadow answered him, being able to just barely hear his words.

Mog glared at him and dropped his head back to the ground for another pointless nap. "No way is any female ever going to accept you."

Meanwhile in the dining room, George and Jones sat discussing complicated issues over the ill-fitted family monster.

"I don't know what we are going to do with him." George wiped his mouth clean. "The only thing I can think of is to keep him locked up in his little hut."

"You think that will solve the issues?" Jones protested. "Think of him like this. Have you ever studied lions? Or perhaps tigers or other predators? It's all the same. Think of him as a lion then. You can't keep a pet lion on just canned dog food and rawhide chips."

"I know what you are talking about. But he's much smarter then any lion and should know better. You've told me they were intelligent creatures. You've taught Shadow to read and write and so much more."

"Yes but they have a much stronger prey-drive then any man does." Jones frowned deeply as he came to a conclusion. "He has the bloodlust now George. He's tasted Eloi. He's had a taste of blood and I know where this will lead to unfortunately."

"You mean he might attack us?" George's eyes widened.

"To my great dismay it's a good chance he might turn." Jones pulled the wine close and filled his glass to the brim. "Keeping him locked up and refusing his instinct to hunt will make it much worse I assure you."

"Well I don't know what to do Jones. Really I don't. I know keeping him locked up will be just cruel for him." George sighed and decided it was best to retire for tonight. "Let's discuss this again tomorrow and see what has to be done."

Shadow and Mog sat brooding inside their units. Both being not very tired resorted to preening knots out from their hair. Jones had came back and opened up Shadow's cage.

"I trust you won't hurt anymore Eloi, correct?" Jones asked sternly. "I want you to go and work the horses now. George wants to go out for a ride with Weena tomorrow."

"_Thank-you! Yes-I-will-get-right-to-it." _Shadow clapped his hands and ran off outside.

Naturally Shadow did a lot of the work around the place. The family kept a few cows, chickens, horses and sheep for their own personal use. It was his job to tend to their feeding and cleaning and slaughtering. The horses George obtained from the past with a special large time machine similar to his original. His lovely wife, Weena, enjoyed the animals. The machine was big enough to carry large items. The horses had been transported already trained and finished. Shadow, being a curious learner, learned much from the books Jones gave him to learn about them. He worked them weekly through their steps to keep them fresh for the family to ride for fun.

There were five horses in all. A handsome black dressage stallion that was reserved for George to ride. There was two smaller, older ponies that the kids and Weena would ride on. Next was a lanky chestnut gelding that sometimes Jones would ride on. Last was Ugly, a cumbersome Percheron draft cross gelding that had no other real purpose then be a complicated piece of flesh for Shadow.

Ugly soon became Shadow's own personal ride if the draft would put up with it long enough. All of the horses feared him naturally because he was a predator and reeked of it. Shadow made it clear to Ugly that he was going to have to trust him if nobody else. He lead him in a round pen and stayed with him all night. He had repeated this every night for the rest of the month till Ugly finally accepted him. Often during the night he would take the coarse gelding out for a night ride.

"Damned Showfer quit acting like a dick." Shadow grumbled as he rode the black stallion around in the small arena. "If you buck the master off he will kick my ass and not yours."

Katie appeared at the side of the fence and watched him. "He's always so stubborn. Dad likes his fiery temperament though."

"Fiery pain in the bloody ass." Shadow snorted and pulled the reins around tighter. "Okay I've worked him for a good hour now." He halted the fidgety stallion and leapt off. "One of these loathsome nights you will find a pair of shears in between your legs."

"Why don't we go out for a ride." Katie leaned against the fence. "I feel like going for a gallop."

"During the night? Are you crazy? Plus your dad is going for a ride tomorrow with your mother. You could go with them." Shadow led Showfer back into the barn.

"I feel like riding now. You haven't worked Ugly yet have you?" Katie followed beside him.

"No I haven't." He sighed. "Okay a quick ride. Your dad won't be happy at all though that we are riding out in the night. He doesn't care if I do but you?"

"I can do what I want." Katie winked and opened up one of the pony's stalls. "Gonna take Sugar-cube. I like her more then Cucumber. He's just too spooky at everything."

The two trotted out of the barn on top of their steeds. For kicks Katie did circles around the front yard while hooping and hollering. Jones peered outside and rolled his eyes when he was the rowdy couple on their wild-eyed mounts.

Shadow and Katie cantered next to each other through the clearings that formed a maze around the great forests of fruits and flowers. Shadow breathed a great sigh of relief to be out in the opening. He pulled his mount around and faced Katie.

"Hello there shortie. No matter what I always tower over your midget ass." He chuckled.

"Well I'm much faster then you any day. Take that you both big plodders." She sprinted her pony around him and backed into the gelding.

"Hey, hey now no shoving. You know how Ugly is about being bumped about." He raised his brow at Katie and licked his lips. "You also know how he likes your mare's ass."

"Oh jeez you sicko." She pulled her tiny pony away and shivered. "I feel something is wrong."

"What do you mean?" Shadow's hair raised. "I admit I'm having that feeling too."

"Let's go over that hill. At least it's more in the open." She turned her mount around.

Shadow silently followed after her and squinted at the half-moon. He dismounted and laid down on the grass. Katie led her pony towards a tree and tied it up to a branch. She grabbed a few flower berries and laid down next to Shadow. The breeze felt like a gentle caress across her cheek.

There was a sudden abnormal moan and a ruffle of the bushes nearby. Katie lifted her torso off the ground and stared wide-eyed into the dark woods. Shadow peered over her shoulder with the same wild-eyed expression. The pony was gone and only the reins dangled from the crooked branch. The both of them leapt off the grass and hopped on the terrified Ugly, flying back home as fast as they could.

"What do you mean the pony is gone? You go out without my permission and you are already missing one of the horses?" George clenched his fists as he scolded Katie and Shadow. "You probably didn't tie up the pony correctly. We'll have to go out and find it now before something else does."

The last sentence brought a cold chill down Katie's back. She didn't feel like going outside anymore.


	15. Chapter 15 Howl of the Morlock

**Chapter 15. Howl of the Morlock

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**

Jones and George packed a revolver and two flash lights for themselves. Weena stood at the doorway with a concerned look in her eyes. George smiled back at her and reassured her that his quest for the pony would be a quick one.

"We should bring Shadow." Jones suggested. "He will be able to smell whatever is dangerous out there before we could. Plus he can actually see."

"I guess that's a good idea." George nodded. "Shadow come here."

The Morlock jumped off the porch railing and approached them submissively. "_Yes-sir?"_

"We need you to come along and show us where you lost the pony." Jones answered. "It might be a far walk considering we can't bring the vehicle."

Shadow led the two men through the quiet woods. There was no sound of crickets or nocturnal animals like in the two men's time periods. It brought about an eerie feeling of contempt and loneliness to the two men. Only the breeze ruffled the leaves of the flora gently to not have the world so quiet. Shadow snorted long and loud as he felt another presence close by.

"What is it Shadow?" Jones and George turned on their lights and pointed it towards what Shadow was staring at. There was nothing at all what they could see.

"_I-can-smell-something._" He raised his head up and sniffed loudly. "_The-smell-is-fresh-and-alive._"

"Other Morlocks?" Jones whispered."

"Can't be. I ran them off from this area." George told him awhile he kept his gun loaded and ready.

Shadow slowly drifted off as his nose locked onto a peculiar scent. It led him to the edge of a gentle stream. Across crouched a glowing-eyed figure that stared back at him. It was another Morlock drinking from the stream. Next to it was another very small one, a baby. It was a mother and child Morlock. Shadow's hair stood on end again as he felt a shiver go down his back. He felt a strong urge to approach the female.

"Where the hell did that damned monster go?" George growled. "We lost him."

The two men clambered through the bed of flowers and soon found the greenish beast.

"There you are Shadow," Jones shook his head in relief. "Just about lost you. Remember our eyes aren't as good as yours."

Jones approached his tamed Morlock and reached out to him to give a quick smack on the top of his head. The Morlock drew back with extremely wary eyes.

"I'm just playing with you Shadow." Jones smiled. Still the Morlock kept a tense body position and slowly showed it's teeth.

"What's wrong with you Shadow don't be so sensitive." George spoke up and brought his light across the Morlock's body. His eyes widened and his legs froze. "Jones please step away from him."

"Why?" Jones glanced back at George.

"Because that's not our Morlock." George whispered in a low voice. Jones felt his heart drop to his stomach and slowly backed away from the wild monster.

George drew his light to the lump lying behind the Morlock and soon found their missing pony. The wild Morlock raised his head and let out a shrieking call.

"Run Jones!" The two men spun around and shot off as quickly as their legs could go. Shadow, who still stood at the stream, heard the sudden shouts and had remembered about his two followers. He darted around and followed after the two men. Suddenly a solid body hit his at full speed. The pursuing Morlock had broadsided full on Shadow's.

"You stupid fool!" Roared the Morlock. "Get out of my way!"

Shadow's breath hitched as he backed up. Never before had he came in such close contact with a free-ranging Morlock. The other Morlock grumbled and turned back to his equine meal to feast. Rarely do Morlocks pursue their prey for long as they were slow.

That night Shikha managed to free Mog from his prison while the men had left to search for the lost pony. They both fled to the forest and back to the hidden caverns of their home. Mog, for once, could sigh a deep breath of relief.

"Shikha? Mog? Where have you been?" Fere found them walking down a narrow corridor. They both looked exhausted. Mog himself showed heavy signs of stress across his creased face.

"The Time Traveler caught us." Mog answered her. The other Morlocks within hearing distance gasped loudly and turned their heads toward the odd couple.

"The Traveler? What ever for?" Fere pulled them aside and sat them down on a comfortable spot.

"He had set a trap in the woods! It caught me by the foot and yanked me into the air. Then something stung me and I fell asleep. I woke up in the clutches of those evil creatures." Mog gave Fere a wild side glance. "They smelled awful and poked me with their fingers. They look so much like Eloi only their hair was dark and their eyes were beady. They kept me in a cage like an Eloi and fed me meat from strange creatures none of us have ever seen before."

Some of the Morlocks had gathered around Mog and his mate to listen to this horror tale. After Mog finished they bombarded him with questions.

"Do their eyes glow like ours?" One blurted out, taping him on the shoulder.

"Are they really smart?"

"Do they eat us Morlocks? Or do they only eat fruits?"

Fere stepped in front of them and waved her hands. "Now, now give them some room to breath."

"Well the Traveler's eyes don't glow like ours. They were dark though unlike Eloi's. He also had an Eloi mate he calls Weena. I don't know her too well but that one Morlock told me they had children." Mog's eyes widened as he remembered Shadow. "Oh yes that Morlock! They raised a Morlock from a baby and he is tame to them. He wears this strange collar around his neck and it speaks their words."

The Morlocks stared at each other and shuddered. Fere leaned forward and patted his back.

"I know who he is," Fown stepped out from behind the pack. "That Traveler you talk of. I was there when he first came to us. When I was younger, before I met Marn. I saw him sneaking about the corners when we brought the Eloi in to satisfy us. He saw the place were we feasted and looked horrified. I was hidden behind the wall when I first glimpsed him. At first I thought it was just an Eloi but the smells were all wrong. He was something else I knew right away."

"He came at my brethren with his bare hands and tried to fight his way back out with the Eloi. He didn't fail the second time. We were all tired from work and only wanted to eat and sleep afterwards. He wanted that Eloi female. He set flame to our machinery and escaped with the other Eloi's out the top. We were caved in, most burned and suffocated. Others desperate enough to run out in daylight were burned and blinded by the sun. I managed to escape with only a few others trailing behind. Mog was one of them. He was just a baby then. Many of our mates, parents, siblings and relatives were slaughtered. We didn't understand why at all. We only know this one is a monster to be feared."

Mog dropped his head and clasped his ears. Not wanting to think of that awful day. Shikha pulled his face to hers and kissed his cheeks. His faithful mate whom none could replace. To him there would be no other like her. He gathered her small figure in his arms and returned his love with a tongue bath. The others drifted back to their work.

"It's great to be back home at last." Mog remade their bed and spread his wide body on top of it. "Thank you for freeing me my love."

"I'm with you till the very end." She rested beside him and rested her head against his arm.

At the Time Traveler's home more chaos ensued. Not only was one of their ponies gone now the captive Morlock was set free as well. Shadow sniffed the interior of the cage and confirmed, bizarrely enough, that it was an Eloi that set him free.

"Why the hell would one of them do that?" George shook his head in disbelief.

"It must have been that strange one that came close to his cage before." Jones scratched his chin and thought for a moment before continuing. "Do you think perhaps the Eloi had connections with this Morlock?"

"What do you mean by that? If you mean a friendly relationship I have doubts. They are their food. Perhaps it was a loyal slave." George suggested.

Shadow sat outside against a tree in deep thought. Something inside him had stirred and burned strongly. In his mind the image of that female played itself over and over. So much had happened over these past few days. His first up close glimpse of his own dark kind and also of a female. For the first time he knew what the yearning for love felt like. He imagined himself chasing after one of the delicate female Morlocks. His body slumped forward as he reared his head back to utter a lowing call. The feeling rose up and down inside him. He stood up and continued his call ever louder. The low howl-like call rose to a high-pitched shriek that only man would imagine to hear in their deepest nightmares.

Neither him or did his family know what this calling was for or about. It was the calling of male-hood, the want to fight for the right of a mate. In a Morlock it was an extreme feeling that no other could override. No more again would his life be normal. His crazy childhood now left behind him.

"The Morlocks have left." One of the older male Eloi informed George. "The one we saw close to us ran away with an Eloi."

"Just as I had thought. Something was fishy about that one Eloi female." Jones punched his fist into his palm and walked away.

"I know the Eloi are-" George stopped mid-sentence. "lacking somewhat but surely instinctively!"

"I do remember she was speaking quite oddly. I noted she was making noises similar to what I've heard Shadow make. I do believe she could speak their language." Jones waved his finger about. " You would think he would instinctively eat her. Perhaps Morlocks and Eloi are capable of having other types of relationships besides just hunter and prey."

Later that night Shadow returned to his own little hut and hogged his entire bed. Again and again he dreamt of that female. There had to be many others. Now the master, George, was wrong. There were Morlock females and babies.

"I want my own family." He grumbled in his sleep. "Somebody to love me back."

The next night Shadow joined in with the family after dinner. He lain across the floor like the family dog with Katie brushing his head. His smell quickly filled the room to everybody's disgust so the windows were opened to let in fresh air. The tame Morlock rolled over on his stomach and begged for a tummy rub. Katie giggled and straddled his stomach and dug her fingers into his side. Shadow rolled back his head and let out silly grunts.

"I cut myself again," One of George's younger boys came into the room holding his hand. "On the paper."

"How many times have I told you to not rub against the edges." George fetched a rag to wash the cut.

It was then the playful Morlock felt his mood warp. He snorted the air with great eagerness and whined loudly. His hair bristled and his eyes rolled back to reveal the whites. Katie stared at him awkwardly and tilted herself backwards.

"Are you okay Shadow? You are acting sort of funny." Katie felt a prickling beneath her skin. Right now she felt a sudden stab of fear in her breast.

Shadow rolled over on top of her and held her down. He sneezed violently as he tried to control this strange instinct. His albino eyes flashed their bright redness and his fangs lengthened as his lips lifted. Again and again he tried to shake it off. Katie felt his deadening weight increase.

Jones at first though this was just a playful rumble till he saw that familiar bug-eyed stare that only a vicious predator would have. He got up and placed his boot firmly against Shadow's butt and kicked him off. This was enough to snap him out of his lust and he scrambled off to the dark corner. He felt very stupid for his actions and flattened himself completely against the ground and reached out to Katie.

"What was wrong with him? I think he hurt something." Katie cooed.

"Stay away from him for now." Jones grabbed her sleeve and pulled her back onto the couch. "He's not right in the head."

"_I'm-sorry. Please-don't-say-mean-things!" _Shadow cried out in lowing grunts. The scent of the blood was now fading and so were the strange feelings.

"He's fine now Jones." She pulled away from him and reached out to Shadow. He scooted closer and hugged the bottom of her shirt into his face. He apologized in puppy-like whimpers.

"I want to sleep over with Shadow tonight. We planned to play some games and tell some stories! Can I?" Katie smiled and rubbed his head.

"I don't think that is such a good idea Katie. Plus I doubt your father will approve." Jones shook his head firmly.

"You guys will never trust him just because of what he is. Such a blind shame." She frowned and made a motion to walk out the door. Shadow still had himself planted firmly into the corner.

"_Maybe-I-sleep-over? I-promise-to-be-good!" _He snuffled and shook his arms wildly.

"Yeah that's a good idea! We can sit here on the floor and play!" Katie giggled in agreement.


	16. Chapter 16 Blood Lust

**Chapter. 16. Blood Lust

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**

Katie soon fell asleep past three in the morning. Being a natural night dweller Shadow laid loyally beside her until the sun would come up. He long debated whether or not return to his own hut before morning would prevent him. He grumbled quietly and drug his nose over Katie's body, smelling her and adding his scent to hers. His nose yanked itself straight in between her legs. Never before had he really had the guts to venture that area before since he had no interest. Now it was an automatic reaction. He snorted loudly like a fat pig as he buried his nose further into her crotch. His eyes rolled back again and he felt weak as the alluring scent of female bit at his acute olfactory.

Katie rolled over with a groan. He yanked his face out and pretended to be asleep. She didn't wake up, only rolling back over in her original position.

He wandered into the kitchen and sniffed about the countertop to find any spare meat. There was bread and fruits and veggies all lain out but he had no interest in that nasty food. He chuckled with success as he found a bag of doggy milk bones in the pantry.

Then it hit him again. That scent of blood. He whimpered loudly again and slowly stalked out from the kitchen. Little Jimmy, the one who had earlier on slit his hand open on the course paper, was up and changing his bandage. The wound was deep and had a hard time closing up. Shadow inhaled deeply and growled in the back of his throat.

With stealthy moves he slinked up the stairs with amazing silence. It was in his breed to be a first-class professional stalker. Jimmy walked back to his bedroom just as Shadow reached the top of the stairs.

If any boy could relive the old tale of the monster hiding under your bed it was him. As he tucked himself back in the family Morlock had snuck in and crept up beside his bed. Jimmy froze as his eyes met the glowing ones of Shadow.

Shadow stood a few feet from the end of his bed and stared back. His eyes locked onto his prey's to disable them. The boy did the biggest mistake by a last ditch chance of darting out of the room. Naturally Shadow was going to be triggered by this and pounced on top of the bed.

The boy was very lucky as his murderer was inexperienced in the art of killing. A few seconds slower he would have felt jagged teeth in between his vertebrae.

Shadow raised his head and bellowed out in anger that he had missed. Spittle flung from his mouth and oozed down his chin. A few seconds later the rest of the family awoke to the shrieks and their son bounding into their room. George fetched the gun and called out for the Morlock to show it's ugly face.

Shadow once again snapped out from his trance and whimpered. He had to make up some type of excuse fast. He knew well that Jimmy was not apt to defend himself being more stupid like his mother. The Morlock whimpered loudly and spoke out at George, showing how friendly he was.

"_Sorry-I-scared-him. I-wanted-to-borrow-a-blanket-and-I-frightened-him._" He gestured with his hands again. He bent his head low and tried to look as apologetic as possible.

"Why the hell did you scream like that for?" George growled, already pissed off at Shadow for even sleeping over in the first place.

"_Oh-I-got-scared-to-by-his-reaction. Sorry, sorry!_" Shadow slowly headed back downstairs and snuggled back up next to Katie. She lifted her head and blinked slowly.

"What was that all about?" She yawned.

"_It-was-nothing-Katie._" He pulled the covers back over himself and rolled up in a ball.

As morning came back around Shadow was stuck inside the family household. He hid himself in Katie's darkened room from the rays of sun that would beam through the half-shrouded windows. Katie was off doing her studies with Jones for the day and so were her other siblings. To ease his inner mechanic he decided to strip Katie's television and put it back together again. He proceeded to do this five times until the screen cracked under the stress. He quickly stuffed it in the closet and sat muddling to himself for the next few hours on how he was going to explain where her TV went.

As night fell again he quickly fled from their house and bounded around outside onto the grass. The moon was full out and piercing his sensitive eyes. He only turned his back and continued to do his clumsy dance across the green.

"Dad plans on having the Reawakening Show for the Eloi." Katie placed her bag beside the porch chair and stretched herself out. "In two days."

"_I-say-fuck-that-show._" Shadow rolled his eyes and snuffed. "_I-wish-we-could-go-on-with-the-planned-prank. Remember-we-discussed-it-before?_"

"I don't know if that is such a good idea. You know very well dad will fry your ass and use your skin as a rug."She chuckled at the thought. It would be very funny to turn the play around into something totally inappropriate.

"_I-say-lets-screw-this-fucking-show. I-am-tired-of-having-my-kind-insulted-and-slain-in-front-of-every-clapping-Eloi._" He raked at the soil with his claws.

"It's only you anyways silly. Just reenacting the hideous enemy. Of course I get to be the pretty Eloi that gets rescued." Katie swept her hand through her hair in an exaggerated attempt of flattery. "Just do what you always do. Crack the whip and grunt."

Shadow pulled at her shirt and gave her the best puppy face he could muster up. Katie giggled and gave him a few pats on the head.

"Alright, alright we can do this silly joke of yours. Only this once okay?" She gave in.

"_Oh-you-won't-regret-it." _He rubbed his hands together and let out a raspy chuckle. "_Oh-yeah-I-accidentally-broke-your-television."_

_Meanwhile at Shikha's colony…_

"Perhaps it's the best plan to just move on someplace else? You are just fodder for the evil creatures," BlackStone poked his thick finger at Fere. "We just can't remain hidden for all eternity."

"Unless you know a better place please let me know. Until then there is no other place to go off to. What do you want us to do? Drift around till the sun catches us and fries us alive? Even Mog and Shikha had a tough time and it was just two of them. You should know why colonies rarely move around. We have been here for over ten thousand years!" Fere rebuked.

The two Morlocks argued amongst themselves in the interiors of the breeding sheds of their precious livestock. Fere was the top and most knowledgeable breeder of Eloi at the time. Not all colonies bother to absorb themselves into the bloodlines of their Eloi stock. Most simply had them run wild and caught them later on. Fere's colony made it a tradition to see to strict breeding of their Eloi for easy temperament and beautiful built. Their fair-headed livestock were very refined and a pleasing sight to gaze upon.

They were bred to not flee from the sight of a Morlock but rather approach them or wait. Of course they continued to out breed to outside stock to make sure no inbreeding diminishes the qualities.

The very ancient bloodlines of the favored breeding Eloi were passed down verbally as most things among Morlocks. Because of this Morlocks are extremely adapt to learning things by hearing them. The only writing found among them was a single very old book that held the most ancient of the bloodlines, before they started to learn them verbally. The book was made of a material that was created to last for a very long time, forever if possible. Fere took great pride in her Eloi's. They were the creation of her colony for over a span of thousands of years.

Shandow, the main stud of her Eloi breeding, was a very well prized Eloi. He had everything that was bred towards. He was slow, tender, dull and refined. There were only three other breeding males and there were fifty breeding females. The rest of the Eloi were scraped for slaughtering.

Shandow crept up to Fere's lap and plopped down on the floor at her feet, hoping for some special berries picked from the highest tops of the trees. His master stroked her fingers through his straw-colored hair and offered him what he desired. He rested his chin down on her lap and smiled contently. He was a very lucky Eloi to be chosen out of hundreds to live a life like this. His mind was too small to appreciate it or know his difference of stature from the rest. To him there were just his kind and this other that crept among the shadows.

If the Traveler edges any closer there was a good chance she might loose her good breeding stock. Her poor Shandow could not survive out on his own and he would pine without her. She stared at the wall with watering eyes. Fown's store had vexed her horribly. The thoughts of the ones around her burning and screaming to their deaths.

"Are you alright Fere?" A low groan called out to her. The scent brought about the musky odor of Fown himself.

"Oh I'm alright don't worry about me." She jerked her frown to an exaggerated smile.

"You are worried about something aren't you?" Fown settled next to her.

Fere swung her gaze to his battered face. Over the weeks she felt herself growing close to this ragged male. Old Fown was not very subtle about his love for her. Constantly he attempted to shower her with his tender nips and grooming whenever he got the chance to be alone with her. She would refuse over and over again. Eventually now she felt herself growing relent towards the advances.

"Just our future as always." She answered, twisting her clothing around her finger.

"You shouldn't worry about a thing Fere. I would protect you with tooth and claw." He puffed out his chest and huffed loudly.

"I know you would but I don't want you to put your self into danger." Her eyes glistened fondly.

"Perhaps we should just capture the Time Traveler then and feast on his warm flesh. I bet he will taste just like Eloi." Fown gritted his teeth.

"No I don't want to prove to him that we are just one-dimensional monsters." She snorted. "I want to show him how we live and show him that we are more then just shallow beasts killing whatever is in our path. He is ignorant and angry."

"Oh I would love to get ignorant and angry with his ugly face." Fown smacked his feast and screwed up his face.

Fere leaned forward and gave him a peck on the cheek. Fown purred and returned the smooch in a big slobbery mess. Fere pushed him away with a giggle and left to go back to her work.


	17. Chapter 17 The Leave

**Chapter 17. The Leave

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**

George stood on top of the stage with the microphone in one hand. The Eloi below him gathered on the grass before him and clapped their hands, eagerly waiting for the show to begin.

"How's my good folk down there?" He shouted out to them with a wave of his hand. "Tonight you will witness the liberation of your fella kind from the ruthless claws of the hideous Morlocks!"

The Eloi shuddered at the word of their dark enemies. Some gasped and leaned forward to see if any Morlock would pop out of nowhere.

As the show began George stood off the stage and watched as the show played out as planned. Katie appeared onto the stage, behind her the scenery drop back of a romantic field of flowers and trees seem to dance in her shadow. She sung her part in how she was a suppressed, innocent being about to be slain by her ugly captives. The fake scenery suddenly faded into an empty blue. A Morlock with a cracking whip suddenly leapt out onto the wooden floor in front of Katie and bellowed at the crowd before him. The crowd screamed and fell over backwards on top of each other. The show was going to plan.

_"Don't-you-know-that-Eloi-tastes-better-soaked-in-blood-and-mud!?"_ His translating collar echoed out into the crowd. George and Jones turned their faces to him and looked questionable to each other.

"Shadow, Morlocks don't have lines!" Jones whispered out loud from beside the stage prop. Shadow ignored him and continued to goose march across the stage. The Eloi didn't take their eyes off of him.

"Oh no! It's the evil Morlock coming to take me away!" Katie cried out her lines and collapsed to her knees.

_"Oh-yes-my-dear!"_ He threw his head back and chuckled. _"Oh-did-I-mention-that-often-times-Morlocks-enjoy-dancing!? Hey-is-the-moon-out-tonight? Let's-see!"_

Shadow did the biggest dare of his life by doing a crazy jig and turned his ass to the crowd and yanked down the back of his pants. Katie turned her face away to hide the exploding laughter from her father. The Eloi were totally confused but amused by the performance.

_"Oh-my-delicious-Eloi-would-you-marry-me?"_ He slid across the stage on his knees and offered his hand in a marital pose.

"Oh what a quaint old fashion way to propose!" She gasped at the crowd with a giant grin. "Sure if you promise not to eat me on the first night!" She gave the crowd a pert smirk before being swept off her feet and ushered off the stage and out into the woods by Shadow. The grand exit was announced by him hollering like a cowboy and giving his leather whip a few loud cracks across the air in front of him. The Eloi clapped their hands and the entire crowd laughed along with each other. George and Jones though reacted quite the opposite and was intent on giving Shadow and Katie a smarting backside for that disgusting joke.

The pair took off into the woods hooping and howling out at the crisp night sky. Shadow hopped around on four legs and rolled around in the grass.

_"Now-that-was-amazingly-funny!"_ He laughed. _"Hey-at-least-the-Eloi-enjoyed-it!"_

"Oh man dad was totally pissed!" She grabbed his hands and rolled on him. "You know dad is gonna hunt for us. Might as well confess."

_"Yeah-I-suppose-so. We-had-our-fun."_

They both retreated back to the house and found both men waiting on the porch, knowing sooner or later the two charges would show up. George stood rigid with his arms folded.

"That was not funny at all not for a moment!" He growled and stepped off the porch. "I should get out the whip and have you both over the bottoms!"

Shadow stared at his big feet with a big smile he couldn't remove. He didn't regret what he did for a second. George grabbed his chin and yanked his face up.

"So you think this is all still so funny? You have a lot of nerve."

_"What-do-you-think-I-feel-having-to-be-the-disgusting-gross-enemy-that-has-to-downplay-his-own-kind? I-don't-think-you-would-enjoy-it." _He answered with a serious tone this time.

"You agreed to do this long ago. You had a choice!" George turned to Katie and glared down at her. "I hope to see better of you next time as well. Don't forget what you are."

"It's only part of me. I can choose to be whoever I want to be." She remarked, tired of having the foot on her simply because of her Eloi blood.

Shadow snarled beneath his breath. _"Just-leave-her-alone. Just-because-she's-Eloi-doesn't-mean-she-has-to-believe-her-own-friend-is-her-own-worst-fucking-enemy."_

George reached around to Shadow and grabbed his face to give him a smack upside the head for such talkback. The usually submissive Morlock reacted in the worst fashion ever before in his life. Before he had always cowered down to the master's punishments if he ever needed them. Again he saw red flash before his eyes and his jaws snapped shut around George's hand. His shear-like incisors cut through his hand like a fork through a butter pad.

The Eloi shrieked and ran off in all directions as they hinted the sudden change in mood of the Morlock. George's eyes bulged out and he punched Shadow in the face repeatedly.

Shadow opened his mouth and yanked his face away from the blows. Fresh blood oozed down the corner of his mouth and speckled on his hair. His lips curled upward and the whites of his eyes flashed almost as bright as his reflective pupils. His lust for the blood was gone now and he only stared blankly at what he had done. Slowly he shrunk back and escaped to his hut to hide himself.

Jones and Katie went to the aid of her father. His hand was almost torn in half from the middle towards the ends of the fingers. Jones wrapped it up in a hanky and helped him back inside.

"Stay away from him Katie." Jones grabbed Katie roughly by the sleeve and jerked her inside.

"He's a savage!" George hollered out in pain. "I would have never thought!"

Katie hid behind a few of the other Eloi that lazed across the couch uncaring about the master's near death experience.

Outside the Eloi had gathered back into a large herd and snuggled with each other behind the safety of the house for the night. The air was so still one could one of the newborn Eloi's little sleep snores. Shadow stood shaking in the darkness of the backyard, his eyes on the Eloi. His lust to kill had disappeared, leaving him feeling void of any sort of feeling of the moment.

Now the master would never accept him inside the house or near Katie anymore. He crouched next to the open window to see how the family was doing inside. The two men spoke in a low tone, Katie had already gone off to her room for the night and so have the rest of the Eloi.

"I don't know what we should do with him. He's part of the family." Jones spoke quietly.

"He's usually so gentle in nature I admit. I can't trust him anymore Jones." George was still shivering from the attack. "I swear he was going to kill me. His eyes were just full of evil."

"Want me to sedate him permanently? He will always be a lumbering and disinterested hull then." Jones suggested bitterly.

"I don't know Jones. You decide what is best for him and our family." He leaned back and gently touched his bandaged hand. "I think I am soaking through."

"I wish you would help me in this George. I really need your advice." Jones pleaded.

"Let's get one thing straight Jones. I don't want to be rude because you are a great pal of mine and I know how much Shadow means to you. You found him and you decided to raise him. You taught him everything there is to know. I did not decide to take on his responsibility. I am very sorry that you may not like to hear that."

Jones stood up and beat his fist down on the table. "You are the one who killed his parents! You obliterated his colony and whatever trace was left! I came here to study the lively hoods of these two creatures," he made the motion to leave. "not to wipe out ecosystems just because I see something I don't like."

George glinted at him with dark eyes. "The Eloi are humans! Why should I just sit around and do nothing to help them?"

"They are not humans! Not the Eloi or the Morlocks! They are just creatures descended from us. The Morlocks are just as closely related to you as your childish wife. I suppose it's because of the way they look." Jones pointed an accusing finger at him. "You don't realize how much of a Morlock you really are."

"This discussion is over with Jones." George lowered his gaze and stepped out the room.

Shadow sunk down against the ground and sobbed. It was true! That wild Morlock was telling him the truth the whole time. He was living with his murderers. A disgusting feeling over swept him.

Just before midnight came around he tacked up Ugly the draft cross and threw a few bags over his backside. His eyes blinded by salty tears seeped into his mouth. He wiped his face and pulled the bridle over the draft's huge head.

"We must leave now my friend. I do not feel welcome here any longer." He bit his lower lip and sulked. After tacking up he hauled himself into the saddle and trotted up in front of the house. Here he stopped and climbed silently to the top floor's roof and pushed open Katie's window. Usually she left it locked for certain reasons. Her little body snug and warm in her sheets. He hovered over her and tucked a small letter beneath her pillow.

"I will miss you my love." He groaned in his own tongue as he bent over to give her a slight nuzzle with his nose.

Without looking back he galloped off into the night. To where he would go he would not know. For once thing he did know he wanted to be as far away as possible from the murderous men.

For daylight travel he packed clothing meant just for him to protect his skin from the sun's rays. Jones had given them to him for a birthday gift so he could play around with Katie in the daytime. Aside them were a pair of goggles to protect his sensitive eyes.

The land around them grew wild and untamed. Mother Nature was quick to take over after man was gone from the spotlight to shroud the earth in flowers and rainforests. The only fragments of his greedy ancestors were odd-shaped buildings that jutted from the ground. Most were from the last few moments in Man's ruling time over the world. Already the earth around them were reaching up over the buildings with their vines and slowly pulling them back down to the soil where all things go eventually.

Shadow peered out across the landmarks through his goggles expressionless. He didn't want to imagine his only friend's face when she would find out he had left. At the last moment he wished he had snuck her away with him but she would not survive around those he was hoping to search for, his own Morlock kind.

For several days and nights he traveled. Constantly he had to remind himself to give his steed breaks along the way. There would be several fruiting trees where he would pick fruit for Ugly to nibble on.

A day later he came across the scent of Morlock and halted Ugly to a full stop. The draft cross reared back his head and snorted slowly at the scent of so many carnivorous animals.

"This is the place I suppose." Shadow said to himself as he dismounted. He unpacked his bags and the horse's tack. He grabbed the horse's neck and gave him gentle caresses across his massive neck before pushing him off to let him go on freely. "Stay safe now Ugly. I might need you someday again. Stay away from this place."

With a deep, rattling breath he disappeared into the dark opening and hid his equipment in the corner for safekeeping. Slowly he descended deeper into the shaft. The smell of his own kind grew thick with the stuffy air. All sorts of scents hit him. The sweet and soft scent of females. The bold scent of males and the very assaulting, spicy scent of angry males jousting for a chance at gaining mates. His hair stood on end again as he breathed in deeply. Raising back his head he howled his arrival to the strangers. As he crawled deeper he found the wide caverns where they resided spectacular. The many beasts were crowded around each other chattering in grunts and groans. Females and males were mostly separated into their own groups. The sound of machinery hummed overhead. It was like a city all of itself down here.

The other Morlocks paid no mind to him. There were so many that a new one drifting in wasn't such a head-turner. Trembling with fear he slowly snaked himself around them and placed himself in a dark place by himself to watch them. Eventually he grew used to them and decided to investigate how deep and how far this place would go. He found that the males were very rude. They shoved him out of their way in many more ways they he could count. Some would snap their teeth at him if he didn't get out of the way quickly enough.

Poor Shadow had no idea how the pecking order went for his kind. Right now he was the lowest of the low, not know his ways around he was lost and an easy target to abuse. A few old males lay sprawled out against the walls of the broadest parts of the corridors in certain areas. There were also many individual caves carved out of the stone walls.

Being curious he decided to stick his head down one, it was a good few more feet to crawl into.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you fool." One of the Morlocks grunted at him. "Unless you are looking for a fight but your scent tells me otherwise."

"Oh I was just checking out what's inside." Shadow answered with stupid innocence.

"Are you stupid or something?" The old male asked, confused by this stranger's odd reactions. "You are just asking for a fight from whoever is in that cave."

"Why?" He questioned again.

"Do you know anything about living?" The male responded in frustration.

"I have never lived with other Morlocks before." Shadow sat down across from the male and smiled.

"That makes no sense but if you say so." The male shrugged. "By the name's Blunt."

"Mine's Shadow." The tame Morlock started his daily grooming of raking knots from his hair.

"So Shadow you seem very gentle for a male. What age are you?" He further asked.

"Hmm I'm about eighteen now. Is there something wrong with that?"

"No but I'm sure you are feeling the lust to fight and love pretty soon." Blunt folded his arms in front of him and laid his head down.

"I'm already having those feelings. Which is why I came here." Shadow licked his arm. "I hope to have a mate and some kids someday. Perhaps later on I can go talk to a female."

Blunt lifted his head and chuckled madly as if Shadow told a very bad joke.

"Are you kidding me? Son it will take much more then that to earn a mate. You must fight for one of those caves you see? Then once you secured yourself one of those usually a female will seek you out. You two will learn to love later."

"I can be mean if I have to." Shadow puffed out his chest.

"I can just tell by looking at you now that you will fail miserably. Perhaps you would even loose your own life in the battle to have a good repetition." Blunt frowned. "I failed at what makes a male. I was too weak to gain my own cave and to attract a female. I have been lonely ever since."

Shadow felt a wallowing pity for the male. "I don't think I could ever last. I want somebody to love."

"Well first you must learn your way around this place before you think of getting into anything serious. I suspect you know how to work and to hunt?"

"No I have never done anything like that. Well I've killed a few Eloi before and taken apart a few TV's." Shadow listed.

"A TV? Oh never mind." The male rolled his eyes. "You just learn your ways around this place. Learn how to adjust yourself to the pecking order. Right now we are the lowest of the low. Top males always seek to harm us and to make damn well sure we are not in their way."

"I have feelings that I will not take much liking to my own kind." Shadow swallowed in disgust.

"Not many Morlocks do in the first place! Sure after one gains a good household of his own he calms down and peace is restored among friends. Your true friend is your mate." Blunt licked his lips.

"I will cope. For now I just want to sleep." He yawned and rested beside the male. "Later on I need a good meal. What do they serve around here? Any cows or chickens?"

"What? We only have Eloi stupid." It rubbed Blunt the wrong way to feel so ignorant and confused by this stranger's weird ways with words.

Shadow ignored his remark and closed his eyes, hoping to catch an hour of sleep or so. He missed his soft pillows and sheets at home so much at that moment. The musty rocks suited his back to no good so he constantly shifted his mass around. Beside him the old male had rolled on his back and snored loudly. Not only did he face many obstacles ahead but falling asleep wasn't one he had hoped to be on that list.


	18. Chapter 18 Eloi Breeder

**Chapter 18. Eloi Breeder

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**

Shikha straddled Mog's torso as he rested quietly after his usual long day's work. Her stomach had expanded in size with the growing life inside her. She ran her fingers over the bulge, hoping to feel a kick like she had often heard the other Morlock mothers talk about. Mog smiled up at her and pressed a finger against her belly button.

"I'm still surprised over this beautiful creation of ours. I wonder what a baby between us would look like."

"Maybe it will have lots of light hair just like you. Maybe it's eyes will glow brightly in the dark and perhaps my eye color? Who knows for sure." Shikha blushed. "Who knows if it will even be alive."

"Don't talk of such things. It will be a very wonderful little baby for sure." Mog reassured her with kisses on her forehead. "You will make me a proud father."

"I just hope our children will have a good future. Being part Eloi might be tough for them." Shikha rested her head under his chin.

"I will make sure that they do. Nobody will make our children's lives be any more difficult then the other Morlocks I assure you." Mog clicked his teeth as he would do to his rivals. "Anybody dare to do so I will visit them personally."

"Yeah and show them the old fashion Mog-way." She snickered. "Well let's not think ahead of ourselves I suppose."

The cave life for them here was usually quiet except for the occasional quarrels between the others and the children running around. Fere had faced once again another obstacle in her life. For one things caves normally housed a pair of mates. If a cave was vacant or only had one Morlock it was normally challenged by another that wanted the place to one day have a family for himself. Other Morlocks that lost out in the fight for one or was just too weak would live on the outskirts of the cave walls and crevices.

Being an aged widowed female, Fere had no chance of keeping her cave for herself for very long. Fown himself, being tough enough, kept his own still but was always getting into fights to keep power over it.

Poor Fere came home one morning after tending to the Eloi to find her home not so empty. A younger male ousted her out to make room for his own future. The female didn't fight with him as it was unnatural for males and females to clash. She simply gathered her things and piled them against the wall. Here she slept by herself wrapped in a blanket. Fown shuffled by with an Eloi draped over his shoulders. He noticed the familiar female and stopped.

"What are you doing here in the middle of the walkway?" He was very much surprised to see her things strewn about.

"You should know a single female can't keep her own for very long." She simply answered him in irritation.

"Come with me then." He picked up some of her things under the fold of his arm.

"Whatever for?"

"You were nice enough to care for me when I was down I am willing to do the same." He purred.

"No don't worry about me. You should be worrying about finding a nice, young mate to bear you some children and to keep your cave secure." She disputed him with shrug of her shoulders.

"I was hoping you would be of help for me with that." Fown dropped his gaze and walked closer to her. "You know very well the feelings I have for you."

Fown didn't answer right away. She turned her head and thought about this. It would be better then sitting out here in the way of other Morlocks. Plus he was a familiar face. She looked up and followed him to his own cave not far down the corridor.

After making herself at home, Fown delayed no time in showing his affections for her. This time Fere didn't try to resist and allowed him to mate with her. A new tie was bonded between the two and love was restored.

Fere felt a weight lift from her heart. Now she had a lover to care and feed her again. She went about her work when BlackStone came forth in the smaller breeding shed with a stray Eloi in his hands. It was limp but still alive. It was wearing strange and ragged clothing.

"I found her at the mouth of the cave. The children were teasing and tearing at her. I noticed the weird clothing so I decided to bring her to you. I don't know how one of our Eloi managed to stray away." BlackStone told her.

Fere had a very soft heart for her Eloi livestock. Being around them for so many long years she has learned very much about them that others of her kind were so blind to. She gathered the small Eloi in her arms and wiped her face with a wet cloth. After further inspection she found the Eloi to be a young female.

Katie awoke to find herself face down in a bed full of dried grasses and flowers. The sweet smell softened her nerves and willed her to raise her head in a dull-like manner. Around her stood dozens of bare feet. She tilted her head upwards to see Eloi bunched around her shivering their tiny bodies.

The little half-breed jolted herself up on her own spindly legs. Not to far in the front stood a Morlock handling all the Eloi nearest to her. She reared her head and choked on her breath. Here was fear to be dealt with.

The scrawny Eloi followed in a single file line down the narrow corridor. Their eyes stared at their own feet as they passed by. Soon she realized she could no longer hide in the back as she soon became the last to be inspected. She gulped down her spit and pulled herself together and marched to the Morlock. She tried to imagine it was Shadow poking around at her. She shut her eyes and allowed the Morlock touch her all over and pose her.

"She's quite a lovely example. This is the one we found at the mouth of the cave." Fere smiled and rubbed the Eloi's backside. "I do like her very much. I say we keep her and see what she produces."

"Fine then." BlackStone pulled her aside and led her down the same corridor as the others. As she reached the bottom she found herself distracted. A large Eloi male stood alone glancing at the his brethren as they walked by. This one reminded her of the older males back at the house. Their eyes met and locked. His was as dull and lifeless as if she was staring into the eyes of a cow slaughtered a day ago. They frightened her and she broke the stare. The Morlock led her right around him into a separate area from the Eloi destined for meat. The large male craned his neck and followed after them, interested in this new addition. Here she was made to dress in a white tunic with gold laced around the bottom and collar.

Katie hid herself in the corner behind the other females and sobbed secretly to herself. A few of the nearby females stared at her in curiosity. It was not often that one of their kind would actually cry. The half-breed was still not aware of the place she was in. She only noticed she was surrounded by females. Some were pregnant and only two were nursing. She poked her head outside the gate that held them in and peeked around the exterior of her small shelter.

There again was that strange male. He lifted his head and stared at her with those dull, blue eyes of his. These Eloi she was surrounded by were duller then the ones she came to know from the Sphinx. They were dumb but at least lively and playful. She saw the male's expression suddenly brighten when a Morlock female approached the area. She came to a conclusion that they were conditioned to gain great trust into the Morlocks.

"Hello." She spoke in their tongue. The male stared back at her and this time approached. He pressed his forehead to hers and smiled faintly. These Eloi were extremely confusing indeed. The male's many personalities appeared random and abrupt to her. His lips met hers and he gave her a sweet kiss.

As being part Eloi it was also part of her nature to understand their ways. Well most of them anyways. As she had learned from home from the many stalking males, love was random and brief among them. To both sexes, each other were only mere things to make love with and go their separate ways until next time.

She whimpered and pulled her head back in from the gate away from him. He leaned forward and stared at all the females with a hungry expression.

Then it dawned onto her that this was a breeding farm. The male looked different only because he was much older then the other younger, lankier Eloi who were slaughtered at a young age. He was well-developed and aged just like her father's original followers.

He was quite a handsome fellow but also way too empty for her tastes. Her human side gave her that gap that cut her off from her more stupid side. Both her halves tugged at her harshly as if they were two dogs playing with a single rag doll. Her Eloi side wanted to mate with him and her human side was totally against this sham-bag. The male didn't know any better and only cocked his head to once side. He was not used to having a female refuse his advances. He reached his hand inside and beckoned her to come close.

Oh how the male's voice was so soothing and tempting! His years of cooing females had chiseled him into a professional master of heavenly happenings and endless boundaries of love. Some of the Eloi females even started to grow interested and giggled. His eyes were focused on Katie though. She was new here and was an open female. He reached in farther and offered his hand for her to take. He simply wanted to sweep her off her feet and bring her to some secluded area to make love to.

"You stop that business Shandow. Wait till she's fed then you can flirt." Fere pulled him away from the gate and guided him to another area. Katie sighed a breath of relief and dropped into the comfy bedding. Before she could even settle herself she was dragged out and shoved down the isle past more shelters containing females.

That male was standing nearby again and grabbed her hand. The Morlock female pushed her forward and left them to their own devices. Shandow lead her outside into a private, fenced off of a forest dense with flowers. It was bright outside and a very nice place to laze around.

"So what's your name?" She asked the male, hoping to distract him with questions. The male leaned close against her back.

"Shandow." He finally responded after long thinking. His voice now sounded disinterested. His hand guided itself to her waist. Again he tempted her with his sweet and promising voice. Oh how strange he was! She shook him off and darted off into the shaded brush. The male glanced around him and then followed her.

Again and again he tried coax her into offering herself to him but she was playing hard to get. A few other of the females were soon coming out from the dark opening to play in their natural environment. They sat in groups and would shout out random words that made no sense only to laugh at each other.

"Leave me alone." She warned the male with a hard shove. "I don't want to sleep with you."

The male was very taken back and left her alone to join his other females. Katie now wished that she had never ran away from home. When she had found out that Shadow had run away himself because of her father and Jones she went out to search for him after she was able to. She still hoped he was in one of the caves down below but sadly she would never know that she had gone the wrong way. Shadow was a good week's travel opposite from the colony she now resided in.

Some of the Eloi gathered around a tree and stared up at the fruit dangling from it. Katie waited for them to climb up and pick some off of the branches. Only a few moments later some grew distracted and wandered off. The others still reached out to the fruit and nothing more. She rolled her eyes and went to knock some of the food off for them. The fruits smashed into a splattering pulp on their fair heads. They fled backwards and madly waved their arms around. She chuckled at their stupid antics and gathered some for herself.

The male joined her again, this time not being so pushy about his love business. Instincts only told him that he had to be more subtle with this female. He took a large cherry-like fruit and nibbled on it.

"So you breed females so your offspring can be slaughtered. How does that make you feel?" She questioned him.

Again he took awhile to respond as he slowly chewed on his food. "We all die anyways." He drawled out like some drunk.

"Yeah so? I know I will die but that doesn't mean I can't make the best of my life." She felt already very disgusted with these stupid creatures.

"We all die." The male simply repeated.

"Do you even feel any love? Deep love for one of your females that you want to be with her forever?"

"Course we love." His eyes seemed to roll. "Forever? Why for anyways it is unnecessary."

"I don't think I will ever mate then. I want somebody who will love me forever." She winced at the thought of eternal loneliness. "What about your own children? Do you even care about them and their fate? I know you must have many. I bet many of them are already eaten."

Shandow didn't answer. It was not that he was trying to be rude. It was more of the like that he was not used to being questioned at all. Nor did he have any instincts to care about his own children so it was pretty pointless to answer such a question as he couldn't comprehend such logic. He only continued to eat his fruit. Katie was learning fast that living here was not luxury at all. True, living your entire life around animals was fine and it was easy to personify them but the Eloi were just something different. They looked so human yet they didn't, likewise the way they were mentally. She wondered how on earth her mother and father managed to have such strong bonds together. It was only this example that kept her hopes up that someday she to would find an Eloi that wanted the same thing; to just love one for all their life. There had to be another one, just one at least.

An Eloi's heart is like a lock. She often remembered Jones telling them as he was to curious about Eloi and their mating behaviors. It needs a key that no other of it's kind can even open. Hence it will always remain closed.

She didn't know what that really mean, only that it was an important matter to take into account as she searched.

"How the hell did you ever become so dead-brained? You don't even seem to have a soul in those eyes of yours!" She cried at Shandow and threw the pit of her fruit at him.

If only he had only a touch of more curiosity he would have greatly wondered why this female was acting so off. In his own way he did noticed she acted different but still even then he couldn't absorb it. She was the only Eloi he had met in his entire life that had nasty behavior. Actually he recalled the only time he remembered an Eloi acting even close to this was when one of the females were in labor. It was only pain and maybe this female was in labor? Well the masters would come soon to fetch her then.

"Different." He nodded to her and dozed off under the warm sun.

"I'm glad of it." She narrowed her eyes.


	19. Chapter 19 Warped Minds

**Chapter 19. Warped Minds

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**

"_When did you figure this out Katie?" Jones sat wide-eyed and breathless in front of his friend's little daughter. "Don't you remember anything that I taught you about that?"_

"_We just felt like it and-" _

"_Who's the father?"_

Katie mumbled in her sleep, wrapping her delicate arms around her waist and squirmed. Shandow was sitting next to her. His lifeless eyes directed on her with a meager amount of curiosity. He picked up a stick and poked her side before it was slapped from his hands.

"Stop it you!" She popped her eyes at him and rubbed the sweat from her face. "Oh why did I have to run away?"

Shandow leaned forward and touched the salty droplets with the tips of his fingers. Her clothing felt damp to the touch and her hair oily. She stood up and went back inside to find the female. She felt strangely drawn to the gentle female who had sweet grumbles instead of the harsh screeching the rest of them would utter whenever they spotted an Eloi.

Fere picked her up and rubbed her back, noticing that she was looking off. After a good hot soak in a bucket of hot water she felt her spirits lift. Perhaps life wouldn't be so bad. Not much was known about this new Eloi female, Fere thought. Not only did she not know the Eloi was really a half-bred descended from the well-known White Sphinx livestock but also the Traveler himself. Not only her bloodlines but the fact that the young Eloi was a sick mother.

Her father, George, had become more hostile towards his dark-dwelling descendents ever since he found his loving daughter never came back to him. Instead she had left one precious gift behind. A gift he had a hard time growing close to for certain reasons. Still never less this was his grandson that needed caring for. He cradled his grandson and bottle-fed him squeezed Bimbleberry and Mango juice.

He would have never thought his own future grand-progeny would be part of those ugly beasts.

The little odd-ball was called Billie and was the result of a too close union between Shadow and Katie. It was spontaneous and more out of instinctive lust to fulfill their newfound feelings rather then any form of deep love. It happened right before Shadow decided to make a break for his own life to the wild. Katie didn't find out till weeks later that her body was not all to herself anymore. It was more then she could handle to explain to her father that it was no romantic union with some handsome and perfect Eloi stag.

Katie did not abandon her child of course but rather went to search for Shadow to bring him back, sadly the tables turned on her for the worst and now she was a breeding Eloi. She longed to be with her son. She waited till he was fully weaned from her milk before setting out to bring back his father. Now her son was close to ten months old and growing into a heavy little scamp that kept both men and Weena busy.

There was no escaping from her new home now. The Morlocks were everywhere and blocking the paths out. Fere also kept a close eye on her on her valuable stock to make sure none drifted off or get stolen. The little female soon became a favorite to her. She had this sense of being that her other Eloi did not have.

"Do you like your new girlfriend Shandow?" Fere was sitting on the ground with Fown across from her. He had come for a visit to spent some of his spare time with his new mate. They both were nibbling on jerky strips made from dried out Eloi skin. Shandow was busy bouncing off the wall by lunging in circles around the two Morlocks. Fown never had a liking for that annoying little male. Shandow let his pestering be known by using Fown's back as a boulder to leap on and off of. The old Morlock's claws just missed him by a hair's length and Shandow landed neatly behind Fere. His head popped up behind her and he barked out his meaningless words.

"Stupid Eloi. If he wasn't your pet I'd baste him in his own blood." Fown drew out a loud snort and bowed his head down at Fere, remembering she hated such talk about her pet. Shandow sat on her shoulders and folded his hands on top of her head.

Katie poked her head around to watch them. The ugly and horribly mutilated Fown sent tremors down her spine whenever his gaze met hers. Unlike Shadow's eyes his were like those of some cannibalistic pig that even the farmer wouldn't touch with a thirty foot pole. What the female found in him she would never understand.

She slowly approached the group after Shandow made her presence known. She hid behind Fere to avoid the old male.

"Shandow's got himself a cute follower." Fere grasped Katie's hand and pulled her around to her lap. Being so weak compared to them she didn't resist her master's tugging.

Fown looked upon her with a studious expression and wrinkled his nose.

"Her figure reminds me of those White Sphinx stock we had. I am not surprised is she came from that way since they are nearby."

"I don't know why one Eloi would drift from that. They are herd creatures." Fere brushed her hair between her long nails. Katie blinked, having her face smashed into the breast of the smelly creature. She felt lucky she was used to their smell.

Another creature walked into the cave interior. She held Katie's eyes with deep interest. An Eloi carrying a baby Morlock. It couldn't be though as it's eyes were a vibrant blue that seem to glow from within the shadows of it's fuzzy hair. She leaned over from Fere's lap to get a good look.

"How's little Favul doing?" Fere crooned at the fidgeting baby.

The Eloi let the baby down on the ground to crawl. "She's doing great and growing to be a big baby."

"Somebody else holds an interest as well. Like babies?" Fere acknowledged the attentive Katie to Shikha.

"She looks just like my baby." Katie murmured in the Eloi language. This caught Shikha's attention as nobody else would have such a baby.

"How would your baby look like this? She's part Morlock." She answered.

"So is mine." Katie smiled, glad to see somebody else in the same boat as she.

The room seemed to grow cold and silent around her. Only Fown seemed to be confused about the silence as his eyes wandered around the room to see why the reason. Fere, also being able to understand her livestock's language caught these words.

"Part Morlock as well? How? Only I have one. Where is your mate then if you have one? Where is your baby?" Shikha questioned, she was pleased to hear that she too wasn't the only one but wished there was proof.

"The father ran away when my father the Time Trav-" Katie realized she had said too much and zipped her mouth shut. Her throat seemed to tighten up. How stupid was she to reveal her relations about their most hated enemy.

"You are related to the Traveler?" Shikha's eyes widened and she pulled Katie close. "How? You are an Eloi!"

"Half Eloi." Katie might as well tell them.

"I never could tell." Fere shook her head and shared the same aghast expression as Shikha while Fown was still trying to figure out what the silence was about in the first place.

For the rest of the afternoon Katie spent time with them explaining how she got here and only a few about her father. She didn't want to reveal too much so she held herself silent through some of the questions.

_At the dark colony of Shadow…_

The male bore fresh new gashes over his shoulders and backside. He flinched off to one side and collapsed wearily in a heap in the usual spot he took to sleep. Blunt, his faithful companion that often chatted with him didn't move from his spot but only with his fading eyes.

"Had a good fight you stupid?" He cleared his voice and coughed up a hard loogie.

Shadow didn't answer but only glared out at the passing Morlocks with warning. Ever since he stepped foot here he had found it a living hell. Pain was dealt out everyday and he expected it too. Scars crisscrossed his body while fresh ones overlain them. His muscling had hardened so that his arms and legs were like thick tree trunks. He was becoming well known for his fatal blows that he would administer with his powerful arms. He had cracked a few faces, broke a few necks and even side-swiped a male's face so hard that his eyes had popped from his head and splattered against the wall.

Despite the fact it was hell, this life just seemed far more filling then he had at home. Here he could work to his heart's content and here he wasn't looked down upon for being the hideous creature that he was. All the fighting took the edge off from his growing hormone levels and his bloodlust. Right now he was a puppet to his own male instincts. He, like everybody else of his gender, fought blindly for one and one thing only. That was to gain a mate.

The beginning life for a Morlock male was beyond tough. It was constant stress and beatings till one had risen himself up among the rest of his rival brethren and grinded them beneath his foot. Quite a large number of males didn't make it past the first few years of their adulthood. Too many weak bodies and hearts broken down. Only the most tough and nasty males would make it through. Just about every one of them carried their own assortment of battle scars and missing body parts to showcase to their future mates.

One had to find himself a secure hold on a cave, after he did successfully he would be able display himself up that he is ready for a mate. The females were lucky as both sexes never fought against each other. No male ever has the desire to harm a female. Usually the males try to avoid the female's wrath as it is looked down upon as childish to fuss with a female unless she's your own mate. Besides no bachelor male wanted to chase away any good opportunities. Females on the other hand had no problems with smacking a male away if he was becoming a pest. This instinctive tactic proved useful as males were much stronger then their counterparts. The male's needed Mother Nature's restraint on them otherwise they would have nobody to breed with.

Poor Shadow, not being used to this way of life till so recently, suffered the worst of it. His once long and wavy silvery hair now was in greasy shambles. He now sported the normal ragged clothing his kind often wore. Many scars marked the unlucky blows and most of all his temperament warped. The only reminder of his past was the abused translating collar that he still sported around his neck. It was fastened shut in such a way that he couldn't remove it.

The constant abusive he received warped his unready mind into a dangerous adversary to the other males of his age. He didn't give any warnings or displays to his future attacks. He simply dove in unsuspected and ripped out the throat or the guts of his opponent. He also never laid up or rested to give chances for the other males to regain their strength. He was gaining a repetition that echoed across the caverns that would pretty soon insure that he would gain a cave.

Now nothing seemed to stand in his way except a single male who was more the willing to commit suicide against this ravage beast. For some males they would rather die in a fight then live crippled for the rest of their lives without somebody to love.

In the end that was all that it came down to, love. For this was something that burned fierce in any mated Morlock's heart. All the male children could feel it and only when it burned a bright longing later on did they fight to earn it. The females only had to wait for their badly torn lovers to give the call.

For Shadow it tortured him like some lowly animal that was tossed into a fiery pit of flames for the amusement of it's sick owners. He stood back up from his sleeping spot when his challenger came at him. He charged full on and gave the male a hard blow in the stomach and careened down the steep corridor. The two bodies hit another Morlock that was carrying food over his backside all the way down to the bottom. He laid lifeless with his head twisted at a very unnatural angle. It was then a female's head popped out from one of the many small cave openings to screech at the sight.

"My mate! Look what you've done to him!" She cried loudly, barely able to touch his stiffening body.

The shrieks of the mourning female was enough to put off both the males. Shadow's battling partner slunkered off to leave him to the female's rage. Shadow lowered his head in shame. When he gazed back at the female he was caught off guard to find her already pounding her fists at his chest. For what he just went through he found the female's punches laughable. Still he stood his ground, neither submissive or aggressive towards her. She spun around and hid herself back in her cave to finish crying. Not only had she lost her own mate but now many other dark happenings will unfold in the future for her and her toddler.

Shadow didn't feel like fighting anymore. Stiffly he limped back to his sleeping place next to Blunt to snooze the rest of the day off.

"You just went too far." Blunt shook his head and grumbled.

"Shut up old man." Shadow bristled, not wanting to be scolded after such an awful scene.

"You are becoming well known for just being a rogue. I am glad to see that you are strong enough to stand up for yourself but you need to learn your limits."

Shadow rolled over and scrunched his knees together. The female's cries still rang inside his eardrums over and over again.

"I just need sleep Blunt." Shadow answered weakly, just now feeling the deep gashes over his back.

"Just listen to me even this once." Blunt frowned. "I am a failure myself. I was never able to gain a cave so I never had a mate. I lost my chance because I was too confident in myself. Now I am crippled and useless. Watch yourself before it's too late."


	20. Chapter 20 Fidget

**Chapter 20. Fidget

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**

Shikha was outside gathering pieces of fruit from the trees with Favul bounded around her shoulder with a strong sheet. It was early morning when Shikha decided to bring her daughter up above to the light. Her daughter could only handle the sun during the early morning and the sunset. During the brightest time of the day she would squint and cry from discomfort.

Little Favul looked like both her parents. Her skin was very fair with a slight greenish tone. She had her father's silvery hair that trailed lightly down her arms and down her legs. She had more of her mother's facial features but had her father's teeth. Strangely she sported an average number of four toes and fingers except on one hand where she had only three. The most striking feature she had was her glowing, blue, large eyes. To us she would be a bizarre looking child but to Shikha she was the most beautiful thing in her life.

"Oh sweetie we will go down now okay?" Her daughter started to squirm in her arms as the sun started to reach the middle of the sky. Favul shoved her face into her mother's breast.

Down below they went to visit her father. Mog gathered his precious gift in his arms and nuzzled her tiny face.

"How's my little girl? Just as lovely as your mother." It was a relief from work to be able to see his family. "Is she learning how to walk? She sure moves those legs."

"She is trying to but is still too weak." Shikha smiled. "She's going to be bigger then me I am sure."

"Going to be tall like daddy eh?" Mog licked his daughter's cheek as she grabbed his face with her teeny fingers.

"Fere is going to baby-sit her tonight." Shikha grinned. "I figured we could be alone tonight."

Mog blushed and transferred his daughter back to his mate. "I hope she won't bug the crap out of that old dirt bag Fown."

"Nah he loves kids." Shikha tickled her child. "He goes all soft whenever Fere is holding a child. He's always wanted one of his own."

"Yeah till she screams later on in the middle of the day." Mog yawned and stretched out his arms. "I say we it's time for a nap, then afterwards of course."

"Well I will go drop her off then. Fere is expecting her." Shikha left with her sleepy daughter to Fere's new home with Fown.

"Oh well look who's here. The little Bimbleberry baby." Fere cooed at her small charge as Shikha handed her over.

"I hope she doesn't drive you two crazy." Shikha smiled sheepishly as she headed back out.

"Nah she's a good child." Fere cradled the little Favul like she used to with her own children so many years ago. Fown only grumbled but a gentle sparkle shown in his eyes. The baby reached over and grabbed some of his arm hair and ripped it out.

"Oh she really likes me I can see." Fown huffed, feeling at the bald spot on his arm. "She's got a tough grip though, yanked a whole bunch out."

"No don't put that in your mouth sweetie." Fere pulled the dirty hair from her mouth and wiped her clean. "That shouldn't taste too well does it? Well yes look at your face scrunching up. Nasty, nasty."

"I guess I should take a bath for once." Fown smelled his underarms and winced. "Oi that's about five months of buildup right there."

Fere rolled her eyes and gave him a disgusted face before retiring to the back of the cave to nap with Favul for a few hours.

_Shadow's colony…_

Most of the young bachelors now gave Shadow a respected personal bubble whenever they crossed his path. Shadow didn't even have to strut out his dominant stature to show it, they all knew who he was. The thoughts of what he did to the female's mate and her crying still tortured him inside. To another Morlock that wouldn't matter but because of his softer upbringing it was a different story. Today he felt he should approach the female and apologize for his ugly actions though he knew that would not change anything.

He slowly climbed down the entrance to her cave and sniffed loudly to see if her body scent was fresh inside. Her eyes glowered brightly at him and she drew a coarse snort of fear.

"So it's you again! You want my cave as well? To toss me and my child out? Oh well that's life for you!" She squealed.

"Child?" The thought never came to him if the male ever had a family already or not.

"Oh yes child! My mate's only son. It will not matter of course because now since I'm an open female he is bait for the males." She glanced back at her toddler, giving a protective border between him and this ferocious male.

"Bait for whom? I don't understand." Shadow shook his head in confusion and sat down at the entrance.

"Don't play such a sick joke with me you know damn well what I am talking about. All males know it! It's in their cruel blood!" She clawed the air in front of him.

"I really don't know. I did want to apologize what happened for yesterday. I know these words are very meaningless and won't bring your mate back." Shadow bowed his head.

"What?" Now the female herself was confused. No male ever came forth about this sort of matter. It had never happened nor had she had seen it. There was only a long stare before them, figuring out what to say next.

"I feel since it is my responsibility for your mate's death I want to take care of you and your child." He spoke up again.

The female shifted backwards and fanned out the wispy hair on her shoulders. This had to be some damned trick! Such a clever male! Why doesn't he just offer himself to mate with her and slaughter the child that isn't his? Why make this moment even worse?

"Just kill him already and don't make me see it if you are offering me to be your mate." She answered grimly, turning her eyes away from the both of them.

"I don't want to kill your baby. Why would I want to do that? What's the gain?" He snorted, taking a few steps forward.

"Why he's not your child. No male wastes time raising a child that doesn't carry his bloodlines unless it's related. This baby is no relation to you I am sure. Please just stop the joking and end it now. Put him out of his misery fast for goodness sake he's an innocent."

Shadow could only gawk at her. "How could you just offer your child up like that? Don't you defend him at all?"

"Of course if I had my mate with me? Don't you understand the role around here at all?" She snarled back.

"No I don't know how it goes on around here. My colony was much different." His eyes dropped to the little infant in the background that blinked at him, oblivious to what was going on.

"Well I am not much of one to explain." She grunted. "Around here a lone mother is nothing but a death sentence for her offspring. I have seen it many times. A father dies or gets killed and nobody else is willing to take care of a mother. Yes the female is of course excepted but not a child. Not unless it ends up being the father's own brother or whatever but that's hardly common." She bit her lip. "Need I explain more of this horrendous lifestyle?"

"I simply want a female to love. Yes children is something I want someday but it's not the main goal for me."

"What? It's the main goal for any male! To pass himself off of course! It's instinct! That's like saying you don't want to breath!" The female gasped. "You are surely strange!"

"I will serve as a replacement father if you will accept." Shadow nodded and came forward to her.

The female felt her breath shorten as he came closer to her child. Here was the end! He would swoop up her baby and smash his little head against the rocks outside. Or worse he would bite his head clean off right in here if he was less considerate for her feelings.

Shadow hovered over the infant and sniffed at him. The female wanted to scream but nothing came out. She wanted to look away. Instead her eyes froze on the last moments of her baby. The rogue male picked up her child and sat him down on his lap. Her baby gripped an armful of his hair and held on, feeling content with the new attention.

"Why you look like you just seen death cross your path." He commented on the female's completely bewildered and bug-eyed expression.

"I thought you would kill him. Are you just waiting to later?" She whimpered, reaching a hand out to her baby.

"No I think he's cute. I don't have any desire to kill him." He reassured her.

"This can't be right. This-" She uttered before Shadow cut her off and stared straight into her eyes.

"I have no desire to kill him." He said point-blank.

Such a strange male! She had learned much about him from the other Morlocks who talked of his bloodthirsty behavior towards his fellow bachelors. The skull-crushing, back-breaking male who almost seemed to enjoy tasting the taint blood of his own kind just didn't fit the bill with this one now. Perhaps it was another one? She leaned forward and asked his name.

"I had never told you my name did I? It's Shadow of course." His smile faltered. "I am betting you have already heard of me."

"I just can't believe this same male is coddling a child that isn't his." She wiped the sweat from her neck and stood close to them. She shifted her legs around over and over again. Her body still tense as she still wouldn't fully believe him. This was totally different from what her inbred instincts have warned her about. Every female that was born here came equipped with that one image of the strange male killing children that had no tie to him. Not every Morlock in the entire world had this of course. Being that her colony had been here for tens of thousands of years it had slowly engrained itself overtime as it became the custom. Life here was too harsh to worry about other folk's children. For the males in her colony it was the same. Kill the baby of your mate that doesn't belong to you.

For Shadow he had no such instinct. From whatever colony he originated from the families probably adopted orphan babies if they had none of their own or baby-sat like Fere's colony has.

The female's colony had a type of baby-sitting going on too but it was only between very close family members such as a daughter to a mother. It was also only for a short period of time.

"Do you ever sit still?" Shadow noticed her intense behavior. "By the way you never shared your name."

"It's Fidget." She lowered her eyes from his, worried that she would anger him.

"Oh well that fits." He smiled. "Come closer if you want. I am actually quite cuddly."

The female raised her eyes and glared at him again. Not really in anger but all this was just sudden and she was still trying to get over it. Now this killer wanted to cuddle!

"Well that will have to wait." She snorted and turned away. "If you are wanting to keep this cave you will have to do the duty."

"Only when you want me to. It's no rush. No male will take this cave as long as my scent lingers to it." He nodded to her.

Fidget picked up her baby and snuggled against the wall with him hidden behind her hairy arms. He pulled at her shirt, wanting something to drink.

"It's soon to wean you." She quietly scolded him and offered him her breast. "Your teeth are pinchy."

Shadow turned bright red and looked away. "Uh so what is your son's name?"

"I call him Nerok. His father was called Nero so I wanted something similar." She licked her child's head as he nursed.

"That's a nice name." He smiled, still looking off at the side. Fidget didn't know the reason why and questioned him. His answer didn't make any sense. There wasn't anything strange about seeing a female breastfeed but whatever suited him.

"Do you ever sing him any songs?" He asked again, trying to keep his eyes on her.

"I don't even know what that is."

"You don't know what singing is?"

"No I don't."

"Well it's like this." He cleared his throat and did his beast in the Morlock tongue. He sounded something like a dying cow and a whale. For Fidget it was freaking weird but the delightful tones were pleasant.

"I don't get what it is for but it sounds nice." She commented after he finished.

"Well where I come from we sing. We all love to sing songs." He smiled. "You should try sometime." "With lots and lots of practice if I even know how to." She rocked Nerok in her arms till he fell asleep. "I only know the howl of the feast."

"Oh I have heard that one. I enjoy joining in the call. It gives the Eloi goosebumps." He chuckled. "I noticed the females rarely do the howl."

"We just don't have as strong as a calling since you fellows do most of the blood work." She told him. "It's cute when my son does it. He's so tiny and so is his howl."

"He will be a grand little boy." He watched him snore all bundled in a ball.

"I hope he will. I want to see him be very successful growing up." She smiled, the last thing she wanted to do was think of her child's future. That will be a worry in a later time.


	21. Chapter 21 The Fire

**Chapter 21. The Fire

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**

After their eventful night alone, Shikha and Mog were happy to be as one family again with their daughter. Fown seemed a tad reluctant to see her leave so sudden though he tried his best not to show it.

"Little pest." He groaned before lumbering his way off to work. Fere waved at little Favul and asked them to come soon for more visits.

"I am sure she's happy to not have to sniff that disgusting Fown anymore." Mog snuffled loudly.

"I did noticed he smelled better. I think Fere finally convinced him to bathe." Shikha giggled, trying to hold onto their scrambling daughter.

"Or maybe my cute Favul did eh? You tell that stinker to take a bathe? He needed it being so nasty." He bent down and cleaned her face again. Favul pulled at his hair and tried to eat it. Mog kissed them both before going to work as well.

Shikha herself went back over to see Fere and her breeding Eloi. The old female was checking out the pregnant females to see if any were close into labor.

"How's that one female?" She placed her daughter down to crawl about.

"Oh she's doing fine. I put her in her own area since I just feel bad putting such an intelligent creature back with the others like I don't care." Fere kept an eye on Shandow, who just couldn't keep his hands off of Katie.

"Oh boy. It's a good thing I gave him a good smack for touching me like that. He's smart enough to know better to leave me alone always after that." Shikha sneered at him.

Katie finally had enough of this and decided to teach Shandow a lesson. She climbed up on top of the gate that guarded her and yanked him over. She slammed him down on the ground and held him there.

"You are weak and a naïve stupid creature. Hell a cow has a more delightful personality then you will ever show!" She barked. Shandow only stared at her with a ghastly frown across his face.

"So you do know fear I can see. Just have to have the shit knocked out of you. Stupid numb bastard. Keep touching me and I will make sure you are no longer available for stud service. I don't care how valuable you are." She clenched his shirt between her fists.

Shandow wanted to say something but there were no Eloi words that could fit close enough.

"I wish for once you could just shove me back you know? Hurt me! Kick me! Bite me! Perhaps then you could turn me on. I want a strong male! Not some weak coward!" She tugged at him. "Fight me!"

Fere pulled her off and pushed Shandow out. "You should know that it's not his fault." She responded in her own language. From the situation and the little she could understand of their tongue she came to a conclusion of what she said.

"Of course not! It's your fault for making him so stupid. You have taken everything out of them. Being dumb maybe one thing but no empathy at all. I feel so alone." She yelled in English. A language none of them could understand.

Fere locked the gate back behind her as Katie repeated as much as she could in Eloi.

"Sampico feine dwe tu fwano! So fwano!"

Shandow straightened out his shirt and stared back at Katie with his deep, blue eyes. Now for a moment they didn't seem so lifeless. This single female was the most strangest creature he had ever met in his years. In the very back of his empty head he felt a unique stir inside that drawn him to her. That fire in her eyes and in her voice. The many things she talked about that were beyond his reach.

Katie was hurting badly inside. She did not know what to do or what to be. She wanted to love this handsome male who on the outside seemed perfect in so many ways. Why did he have to be so dumb? If only he wanted me and me alone I would forgive him!

"I am not an Eloi or a Morlock." She fell back against the bedding.

"Eloi." Shandow answered her, trying to communicate with her again. "You Eloi."

"Eloi cannot do the things I do." She turned away from him. "Except that one female. I wonder how she can be so articulate and smart."

"She comes from another colony's Eloi. They are smarter but only if you unleash it. They are very much suppressed like most Eloi I know of. In Shandow's case he was really bred to be very stupid." Fere felt sorry for the out-of-place female and even more for Shandow.

"Where does she come from? I only know of the White Sphinx Eloi but none else. Which I am half of."

"Well they are the smartest I know of but Shikha comes from the ones that Mog and Fown colony raised. They were quite dumb but I suppose they had a few that shown some sort of intelligence. Besides Shikha was heavily taught everything she knows. I do not teach any Eloi of such things. It is dangerous." Fere lectured.

"I don't like seeing them so stupid. It's worse then the ones I used to hang out with. Looking at these they seem far superior." Katie laid limp on her belly.

"No want to be close?" Shandow asked in a much quieter tone as if he was expecting her to shriek at him again.

"No I don't want to be around you. You are stupid don't you understand?" She answered without any heart to his feelings.

"No I don't." He got up and went away, probably to hang out with the rest of the Eloi's.

Katie had a love-hate feeling for him. Maybe if she just let herself in to him she would feel better? She didn't feel ready for that sort of commitment. With Shadow it was a different story. He was as smart or really smarter then she was. She could relate to him and adored him for his funny antics.

Her little love spell with him happened on top of the bathroom counter in her house. Before that was much subtle foreplay. The courtship rituals of both Eloi and Morlock mixed together in a swirl of fondling and nipping. There had always been brief courting clues going on between them for some time. Strangely enough the both of them never pair-bonded. They only resumed on with their typical playful friendship. It was a rare hit-and-miss chance with Mother Nature unlike with Shikha and Mog. It was just not meant to be.

"Maybe I should never find a lover." Katie hid her face to cry alone. She very much wanted to be with another Eloi. She wished so much she was as stupid as they were. Then she would just love forever in a carefree way.

Suddenly the Eloi around them began to grow restless. Something unfamiliar was seeping into the cracks and corners of the caves. BlackStone suddenly burst through the entrance and screeched.

"Fire! Fire is coming this way fast!" His voice was cracking from the smoke that started to seer his throat.

Fere jumped up and grabbed him. "How?!"

"There was a small cave in that set it off. This never happened before! It is coming fast and you must get out now! Let loose the Eloi and take as many as you can! The sun is still setting but it is better to go out now then be killed here!" He rushed back out to help others.

Fere rushed through all the cages and opened them out. With a long whip and a fierce attitude she smacked it hard against their shins to set them on the mood to run.

Mog scrambled off to his family, being chased by the flames himself. Shikha had already picked up the acrid stench and waited for him to come.

"Run Shikha!" He grabbed her hand and they both took off to the surface. The flames started to encircle the areas around them. Right before them was just a small entrance that several Morlocks were squeezing themselves through.

Shikha had just gotten through with their daughter as the flames flickered higher. Mog stopped short, the flames blinding him. He raised his head and roared loudly. Favul screamed, hiding her face underneath her mother's chin.

"You must jump Mog!" She cried as the burning heat swarmed.

Mog wheeled around and did his best to lunge over the fire. His hair caught on fire and he spun around crazy as he tried to put out the biting flames. He stumbled into a watering hole by luck.

They both managed to reach the top just as a huge swarm of Morlocks tried to get in the way. Shikha was fine and so was Favul but Mog suffered a few burns. His leg hair was halfway burnt off. He winced and licked them. The heat from his tongue did not help at all. The awful pain made him forget of the outside light for a moment. His eyes closed shut as the red sun began to set.

"Are we even outside?" He coughed.

"Yes now lets get out of here before there are any explosions." She led him away to find a shadier spot as the others of the colony ran around in circles, confused and blind.

The pair nested under a tree. Mog had his head planted into Shikha's lap to keep his eyes from watering. Favul was bawling loudly, her pants wet from the sudden fright.

"It's okay my little girl." Mog tried to sound cheerful. "See? Daddy's all fine and smiling."

In fact he was scared shitless and petrified. Those not so distant memories of the past swamped his mind just as fast as those flames did in the caves. That same burning stench. Those Morlocks wailing in the unforgiving flames. Right now parents and children are probably burning alive. He winced and tried to block out those evil thoughts.

Fere and Fown came out only a few seconds later from a different exit with as many Eloi as possible. Katie had grabbed Shandow by his belt and jerked him all the way out to the opening. He collapsed on the ground in a shaking mess.

"Come on Shandow you must keep going." She pulled on his belt again. He was like trying to lead a stubborn mule across a flimsy bridge.

"N-no. T-too much." He could barely speak.

"Show this female how strong you are Shandow and maybe someday we mate?" She tried to entice him.

Shandow set his feet firm and shook his head vigorously. She went behind him and picked him back up by his armpits.

"Go on you stupid ingrate! Before I fix my foot in your ass!" She grabbed him by the belt again and led him off towards Mog and Shikha. Fere was headed in the same direction, following their smell since sight was useless now.

"Where are we to go now?" Fere sobbed, holding onto Fown now. Her partner tried his best to appear brave.

"We will have to move on. This place will blow up sooner if not now if we don't keep moving!" He followed the smell of the forest and ventured into there. "We need to just run!"

All the remaining Morlocks and Eloi fled for their lives away from the area. Soon a low rumble could be heard bubbling to the surface from below. The machinery exploded, sending cascades of rock down from the ceiling. Centuries old caverns and homes fell to ruins. Fere had hoped this wasn't going to happen. Yes sometimes something catches on fire but they were able to put it out.

Now there were hundreds of Morlocks stranded out in the open world. There were no caves within a good distance and the other neighboring colonies would not allow this many to enter. Surely they would kill them.

"We have to just keep moving on. At the very least we should be thankful this happened when the sun sets." Fown said, his voice lowered itself dramatically as he reached the end of the sentence. The last thing anybody wants to hear is that they should be thankful.

The great walk began. The colony stuck to the mountains, trying to find any abandoned cave systems for themselves. Suddenly a strange vehicle came over the hill.

"There! There are the Eloi! Hurry up and help them!" Yelled the man. The vehicle spun around, knocking a few Morlocks clear off their feet and into the dirt lifeless.

The Eloi grouped together, baying out in their high voices at this strange device. It was some type of a truck. A man hopped out and started to pick some up and placed them inside it.

"Our Eloi!" Fere growled. "Leave them alone!"

Fown grabbed her around the waist. "Time Traveler." He snorted. "He did this to us. This was no accident!"

The Morlocks, being too shaken with fear, didn't want to fight. They only darted off into the darkened woods for their own safety. Katie and Shandow were caught among the other Eloi.

Shikha was not seen under the tree as Mog shielded her from his sight. His heart burned fiercely. It felt like somebody stuck a hot poker against his gentle heart. Now he wanted to slaughter the Time Traveler in everyway possible.

The Eloi inside the car jolted around with the crazed Eloi huddled together. Some keeled over from sudden heart attacks. All this was more then their minds could take. Shandow was very close himself. His eyes closed and he shivered violently. Katie, feeling sorry for him, held him close to her. For once in her life she felt hatred towards her father. Why couldn't he just talk to the Morlocks? Why such brutal actions?

"You will be fine with me Shandow." She coaxed him, brushing his fair head. His breathing was still strong. She hoped he wouldn't suddenly die. That would just break her inside.

"Oh I am glad you two are safe." Fere found the pair. "Is your child alright as well?" She noticed Mog's burns.

"Yes she's fine." Mog limped. "I say we head out as far away as possible from that damned evil monster."

Fown dragged his heels. "I just want to go back and strangle him myself. I want to kill his whole family."

"We would be no better then him." Fere felt her eyes starting to dry. She had cried enough.

"I don't give a flipping fuck. I hate him!" Fown roared in response. His mate took a misstep and yelped. Fown flattened his hair, he didn't mean to direct that at her. He came close and took her hand.

"Even if we find another home nearby we should just keep going on." Mog went on.

"He will keep coming like the fire does till all of us are wiped out. This cannot be. This is one damn man! We can all get together and bring him down!" Fown protested.

"My poor Shandow is gone too. Loaded up in that strange machine and taken away." Fere felt a fresh wave of tears.

"Not to mention we won't have much food." Fown groaned in sorrow. "We will starve!"

"Try and be optimistic alright? That is what we need right now." Mog snuffed at Fown. "We have to just do what we can do best."

"Good luck with that boy." Fown looked down at Mog as a silly child.

"No fighting!" Fere snapped at them both. "Where is BlackStone?" She had noticed that he was not with the group. "BlackStone?!"


	22. Chapter 22 The Monster

**Chapter 22. The Monster

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**

"Well we saved another group of Eloi Jones!" George danced around, checking on the new bunch. "It's alright fellows. You are now safe with us. You will no longer have to fear them."

The Eloi stood around with blank faces. Most were bruised and some had burns. All this concerned Jones. Who knows how many were actually killed in this rescue.

"I think this didn't go so well planned George. You were very hasty." He set his jaw firmly.

"Well we did defeat those Morlocks." George began inspecting the new Eloi and treating their wounds. "I am sorry I did hurt some of the Eloi. That was not my intention."

"No that's not what I am talking about." Jones sat down and rubbed his aching knuckles. "I feel badly for what we have done out there. I saw female and adolescent Morlocks running for their lives for Christ's sake!"

George hasn't really thought about that and did feel a pang of guilt. Well the deed was done and he could not reverse it. Well he could but why bother?

"I am sorry Jones. Really I am. It was the first time I had ever seen mother and children Morlocks."

"You slaughtered them. You are no better then a Morlock. Actually cut that, I believe a Morlock makes less of a monster then you do." Jones headed outside. "Think of your grandson damn you!"

George almost dropped the gauze. "J-Jones?"

Outside Katie had led Shandow onto the front porch. He was limping badly now from a sprained ankle. He hugged his arms around her shoulders and hung on like a nervous infant. The resident Eloi gathered around them, touching both the newcomers. Shandow shrunk away from their hands.

"Leave us alone." Katie slapped their hands away. "We need our rest."

It did not take long for Shandow to come back around to his old self. After a few hours of rest and eating fruit he stopped shaking. There was a new part of him though. A new closeness he felt with this female. He leaned against her and stared at all the rest of the Eloi with his big eyes.

"Katie." He called her.

Jones drove back out to what was left of the Morlocks home. The ruins were smoldering now. Some fresh bodies of Morlocks were strewn on the grass from being hit by the truck. He leaned over and inspected some of them with his flashlight. They were stone-cold dead and two of them were females. This was his first time seeing a female Morlock up close.

"She has such a lovely face compared to dear Shadow." He went on to the caved in ruins. There were several holes in the ground, he would have to watch his step. To his scare there was an abrupt growl beside him. A male Morlock laid helpless in a ditch nearby. The man approached too closely for his comfort and he let out a warning. Jones flashed his light on the Morlock for a second before pulling it from it's face.

"Oh you poor lad." Jones looked over him and saw that he was not going to get up anytime soon.

The injured Morlock turned out to be BlackStone. He had just drug himself out before the caves collapsed. His right femur was cracked in several places and several ribs as well. Too much shock prevented him from reacting sharp with this man. He lay still with fright as Jones came closer to check out his wounds.

"Ugh broken leg as I suspected. Probably a few other things as well. Might as well bring you back. This whole matter is not your fault."

The man's talk came to him but just mere chatter. Jones backed the vehicle closer to him. Jones had the vehicle specially equipped to help him with larger sick animals. Poor BlackStone remained in his frozen state, not caring anymore about his life.

"I bet you poor beast are in shock." Jones rushed him back, ignoring the Eloi and brought the Morlock back into his lab.

BlackStone was rested on top of a padded wide table. His heart raced and he could scarcely breath. Like the Eloi this was just too much for him. He felt that his heart would explode inside his battered chest.

The shot given to him made him feel very sleepy. If the man's hand came close enough he would snap at it, clipping his teeth at the man to stay away.

"I know that you are scared of me right about now. I understand very much." He answered in a soothing voice. "But I must help you alright?"

He grabbed a small towel and wrung it in a tight sausage wrap. Then he inserted it in the Morlock's mouth. From what he learned with Shadow he found the Morlocks had no top molars so there was no way he could chew his way through the clothing. BlackStone wheezed loudly.

He grew more relaxed after being wrapped together and ointments rubbed on his burns and bruises. He closed his eyes and attempted sleep.

"You are a very strong fellow." Jones said. "I will have to stay here overnight to make sure progress is good." He untied the wrap and pulled it out from the Morlock's jaws. BlackStone didn't bother to snap at the man. He knew well enough what was going on even though he still didn't care too much for this creature.

"Such nice humanoids once you get to know them." Jones told himself. He brought out his notebook and jotted down his new specimen. An aged male with multiple injuries.

The low lights from the lamp bothered BlackStone but this was much better then any fire. If he had known who had started this fire he would have been at Jones's throat no matter how badly hurt he was.

His mouth felt dry and he lifted himself half-way up, scratching his claws along the metal sides. Jones pulled him back down and gave him another sedative. Why all this? He only wanted water.

Jones seemed to have read his mind as he went to the sink with a bowl. Over the years with Shadow and his translating collar he started to pick up a few grunts that he recognized meaning to. He lifted the bowl the Morlocks mouth and let him drink. Turned out BlackStone guzzled down about seven bowls one after the other.

"Oh boy it's going to be fun when you take a piss." Jones gritted his teeth with sarcasm. "No food for you as you will just barf it up everywhere."

BlackStone couldn't fall asleep as much as he wanted to. Not in this strange place with that strange man. He watched Jones with one eye open, pattering faintly to see if any of his other kind would hear him. It sounded like dog whimpers. A call of distress.

"Oh dear Shadow used to make those sounds all the time when he was scared. He'd cuddle up with Katie. Poor little Katie. I believe a Morlock ate her. George will never forgive your kind for that."

Jones went about his usual observations. He made notes and details about whichever Morlock he would manage to capture. BlackStone made a shrill warning again when Jones tried to age him by his teeth. His long tusk grazed Jones's hand, drawing blood.

The poking man wrapped his hand up and instead made notes of the scars on him. "I suppose you males fuss very much. Can't you get along? It's too bad you aren't a docile species otherwise I'd go live down with you fellows for a few months to study you in your real environment."

BlackStone bristled in response to his speech to him. Jones placed a hand over the Morlocks shoulder and brushed his hand back and forth. "I find it funny how you always bristle up. Shadow would do that whenever somebody frightened him. He was like a big cat. The kids used to throw firecrackers at him just to watch him puff out."

The musky smell rubbed off in a thick oil on Jones's hands. He knew better then to sniff at his hand. He went over to the sink to wash and decided to continue writing on his journal for awhile.

BlackStone observed his area for any escape routes. He could not be left behind. Their scent will only linger for so long till it would fade away. Then he would always be trapped.

"Oh what a nosey man." He whined. "Keeps jabbing me with things. He does it again I will eat his hand for breakfast."

He breathed in hard, holding the air inside his large nose for a few seconds to find anything familiar to him. No, only the smells of the medicine sterilized mats was all he could detect. He turned his head towards the man to watch him. The man watched back and started up his chattering again. The Morlock tried to move his legs. Sharp pain stabbed through his thigh again.

"I will not be getting out any time soon." He heaved, wincing as he relaxed his bad leg.

Meanwhile George sat on the porch, cuddling his grandson, Billie. He was very similar in looks to Shikha's daughter only he had more of Shadow's face and bigger teeth. He sported the normal three fingers of his father and four toes on his right foot. His left foot had five toes, which the smallest one was just barely formed. George would tease him about it and gently pull at the tiny toe, making Billie laugh.

The more he bonded with his half-Morlock grandson the more he started to feel that deep guilt of killing off the colonies. One day his grandson would grow up and discover who he was.

"I will show you how to be a proper gentleman. Just like how I try and teach the Eloi men." He sat Billie on his knee. Weena was inside cleaning dishes.

Soon enough Billie fell asleep on his lap, breathing hoarsely. George picked him up and carried him inside.

"Don't sleep so loudly boy you're just like your father." He chuckled as his snores hit a high-note. Weena smiled, drying up the last of the dishes.

Later on that night he collapsed onto the warm bed next to Weena. He turned his attention to his beautiful wife. Not a night goes by that she doesn't cuddle with him. Her love never evaporated, it was as fresh as the day they both kissed their first time. He was still marveling over himself that he had ever fallen in love with an Eloi. She was hard to distinguish from the others sometimes as she sported the same hair and size. He began to remember the different curls in her hair. That seemed to be the only way.

Even though he had fallen in love with her he had never thought of it going as far as she wanted it. Little Weena was very demanding of his love. She took her place beside him in bed. At first he found this uncomfortable. Being an English man this was inappropriate for some single woman to just lay with you. Over and over he reminded himself that this was no longer his time and he allowed himself to stretch his restrictions.

When Weena decided to get in deeper into the relationship he had almost lost it. She had snuck in bed with him stark naked one night and kissed him passionately. The kiss of an Eloi was like no other. Weena had conceived Katie, their lost oldest daughter.

Now and again he would think of what their family would be like if all of them were together. Right now it would be his family, Jones and Shadow and their Billie. It was not like that anymore because of him. Now he regretted deeply. He had broken apart the family and it cost him a daughter. If only he had taken to Shadow better.

"You alright?" Weena spoke softly as he got out of bed again to go use the bathroom.

"I'm alright sweetie." He smiled at her and stepped in front of the sink to wash his face. He peered back at himself in the mirror. He aged so much now. The light threw off strong shadows, showing off all his wrinkles. It scared him how much his own face seemed to match that of the gruesome Morlock. An angry Morlock with brown eyes sneering back at him.

"I'm nearly sixty for Christ's sake." He reminded himself and flushed his face one more time.

His poor Weena, he thought again. He found out to his deepest dread that Eloi and Morlocks age very slowly. His dear Weena was still young while he was growing so very old. What would she do after he was gone? She would surely waste away without him. Her bond was so strong. She didn't allow any other male to touch her and she was so absorbed into him. A few times he felt like telling her to rush off and leave him be before it was too late. He knew too damn well she wouldn't leave him. Jones was younger, he was thinking of leaving instructions for Jones after he died to poison Weena if she decided to give up on life.

"What have I done?" He slumped back into bed and wrapped his arms around Weena. She planted petite kisses on his nose before snuggling close.

Billie slept across the room in his crib. The edges were set up higher then normal since the hybrid was typically stronger at his age then a human baby. He was not even a year and already started to pull himself up on his two feet. The baby was restless again and fidgeted around his bed, pulling himself up on his feet again and leaning against the rail. He stared at his grandfather with glowing eyes and made strange baaing noises. George only supposed it was from his Morlock side, perhaps their babies made the same noises. He left Billie alone as he learned that the rambunctious kid would soon grow tired and just flop back over again.

He would have to teach Billie to mind his claws and teeth like Shadow. Jones had a few scars on his backside from when young Shadow decided he wanted to play roughly and tried to climb up on his back, digging his curved claws right into his skin. Shadow had learned right away that was a big no-no.

George carried himself a nasty scar from him as well. His hand was disfigured from when Shadow had bit him just the night he had left. It was still painful and would probably hurt for a few more years.

"Maah! Maabaaabaa!" Billie called out again, reaching through the bars. George gave in and got up. He gave him a fresh bottle of mango and blueberry juice. Billie grabbed it and rolled onto his back to suckle on it.

"Silly little kid." George smiled. "I might just end up spoiling you rotten."


	23. Chapter 23 New Blood

**Chapter 23. New Blood

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**

Shadow cooled down after his talk with the female. No longer did he fuss with the other males as he claimed her cave as their own. There was no other takers for it. He went about his work as usual and brought home a fresh Eloi for the both of them. The female sat back in the cave to wait for him to eat first.

"Come join me." He groaned in a tender way to show his soft side to her.

"I'm waiting till you finish." She answered, her baby crawling around in her lap.

"Why? Is this another one of your traditions?"

She nodded. "Yes and right now I prefer no more to be changed thank you. I am still trying to get over the first one."

"Alright then." He left he some of the best parts and had his equal share of the meal. After he was stuffed he lapped up the blood from the floor and off his fingers. Nerok paddled forward and tested some of the blood himself, licking it he searched for more. Fidget lurched forward and claimed the rest for herself. She noticed he didn't devour all of the good cuts. She figured it was his generosity again. Such a gentle disposition for such a huge male.

Shadow rested on the sheets they usually slept on and fanned out his arms. She looked over her shoulder and snarled at him.

"Always hogging the comfy sheets. Always, always."

"I'll scoot over when you're done." He smiled, she didn't seem to have any qualms with sharing her bed with him. She just kept a gap between them with her baby on the safer side. He felt like being close to this female. It would take awhile for her to warm up to his feelings.

She still was a very tense female, probably one of the most aggressive he has seen himself. There was not a moment he noticed when she was relaxed, always on her toes. After living here for almost a year he could understand. He had changed drastically himself. You had to be very nasty and tough to make a living here.

"Has anybody ever told you how beautiful you are?" He flirted, folding his arms under his head.

"Hmm well my mate a few times had and so have a few males courting me." She answered flatly, not buying into his game.

He got up and ambled close to her, wanting to show her what a hug was. She spun around with legs stiff and growled.

"Calm down sweetie. Look at you." He spoke calmly, grasping her outstretched hands and wrapping his fingers around hers. "So wound up."

"I have my reasons to be." She eyed him warily.

"No you don't. Not anymore if you had to in the past." He lowered her hands and brought his face closer to hers, licking her cheek.

"You are asking what I think you are." She looked down at her baby.

"Only if you want to of course. I am in no rush. That's if you want me for a mate." He went back to his sleeping place.

"Well I still have to make sure you are a decent mate." She decided and took her place beside him.

Shadow rolled over, facing the wall. Nerok demanded to sleep on top of his mother's chest instead of beside her. From here he felt he had a great view of everything inside the cave. He was on top of the world. He puffed out his chest and his body hair, making his mother laugh.

_What is left of Fere's colony…_

Several of the members dug temporary holes into the sides of the hills and cliff sides where there was ample amounts of soft dirt. As the sun's rays began to fill the sky they dug as desperately fast as their claws could handle. Some wore their nails down the nubs, proving them useless for future digs.

The Morlocks stuffed themselves into these holes. Tense and sweaty bodies not used to being so close to each other. Lone females snapped at bachelor males that tried to take advantage of the little room.

"We must keep to ourselves and stop this chaos." Fere huffed at the others. She had her body completely smashed against Fown's. Not something she minded too much. Mog kept Shikha and his daughter protected in his clasps.

It seemed forever till the daylight would leave the sky to the Morlocks once again. When the members closest to the outside tested for the light they only found the dark blue sky. The numbers rushed out like a stampede. The fresh air felt so cool from all the body heat formed down below. It was like being at a rock concert. Being smashed together with people whom you didn't know too well.

Favul was growing weak from the intense body heat. Mog dipped her in a nearby pond to cool her temp down. Shikha felt it was a good idea and did the same too.

"Well lets keep going now." Fere called out to the others to move on. A few refused, feeling this was as far as they were going to go but being a pack animal they soon gave up and followed too.

Up above the invisible storm clouds announced their arrival with clapping rumbles. The children whimpered and hid themselves under their parents as best as they could.

Mog drifted off to the outskirts of the colony and detected an odd scent. The moldy, wet smells of a cave. He bellowed out to the others. Up ahead was the hidden remains of a cave. It towered above them at a good twenty foot. At some point in time it had partially collapsed. The Morlocks followed through the tight maze of crumbled rocks. Old bones of ancient Morlocks were strewn around.

"Time Traveler did this!" One cried out loud.

"No this is much older." Fere corrected, keeping Shikha close by.

Rusted fragments of machinery colored the walls red. Here the colony rested. There was enough room to spread out. Here partners kept together and the single ones kept themselves apart. The females had enough of their counterparts taunting them.

Mog and his family sat close by to Fere and Fown. The old male grumbled, throwing a tantrum.

"It's been nearly a week now! I haven't had a thing to eat." He kept his gaze low from Mog's, knowing better then to even throw Shikha a glance unless he wanted to have his tusks knocked out of him.

"Well it will have to wait." Fere rubbed his shoulder. "We will find food."

"There isn't a whiff of another colony anywhere! How are there going to be Eloi?" Fown continued to argue. "We will end up starving!"

"Perhaps there might be some wild Eloi. I heard it is possible." Fere tried to keep her mate as relaxed as possible. He never was too good with changes. Just too old and set in his ways. Now meeting the Traveler his third time put him through.

"If they are wild then they can take care of themselves. They might be dangerous." Fown rolled in Fere's lap for a head scratch.

"Don't be such a doomsayer." Fere pulled on his hair.

Shikha decided to spend the time to explore. She left Favul in Mog's lap and said she had to go pee. He told her to be careful. She climbed over to the back of the cave. The cavern led in deep and straight on. She probably had been walking for close to an hour now. Dusty bones and skulls darted the floor here and there around her feet. She felt a warm draft blowing towards her. A small light shown from one side of the splitting cavern. She emerged on the other side. It was the moon reflecting it's light off the shiny crystals in the rocks.

Mog followed behind her a mile well behind. Her scent trail led him very far into the cave. So much for taking a bathroom break. He griped to himself, almost running into his own mate who was heading back.

"Oh Mog you should see this place!" She grabbed his hand.

"We should really head back. All these bones give me the willies." He kept a good ear for any sounds of another predator that might be stalking them.

"Please just look." She headed back in the other direction, knowing he would follow.

"I don't see anything interesting." Mog gazed at the scenery around him. Then something caught his eyes that Shikha couldn't see. Some strange animal stood close by underneath a low tree. It was not a man nor a Morlock or an Eloi but something totally out of the ordinary. It stood on four legs with a longish neck. Large ears flickered back and forth on it's long-faced head. It was only about two feet tall at the shoulder but plump.

"What is that thing?" Mog's eyes widened, sniffing the air to catch on this animal's scent. It smelled of plants and fruits, not of meat like the other Morlocks.

"Is it another creature?" Shikha hid behind him.

"Yes! We should go check it out." He stalked the animal. The odd creature only stared back at him. It didn't run away from it as it had never needed to fear predators. The animals have never seen Morlocks as their patch of land was well-hidden from outside predators. The herbivore was probably descended from some type of small deer that had managed to survive man's destruction on the world. The smell of it triggered the predatory senses inside Mog. Once he got close enough he latched his arms around the animal and dug his claws into it's side.

The creature made a low mooing sound then fell silent when he sunk his teeth into it's neck. This was a harder kill then normal Eloi but the blood tasted so good! He gorged himself on the meat. A few more of these creatures watched him. They flipped their ears about, listening to the calls of their own kind.

The meat was very tasty to Mog. He found it less gamey and more filling then Eloi meat. It was tougher but very juicy. He dug his claws into the ribs and feasted on the large liver and heart.

Shikha for once felt better being around him when he ate. Her heart soared with happiness. Now Mog didn't have to feast on Eloi anymore!

The both of them headed back as quickly as possible with the remains of the creature. Mog could hardly contain himself. He and his mate have saved the colony!

"Where have you been? Your poor daughter was missing you." Fere reprimanded them.

"Look what we have found!" Mog just shrieked, holding up the creature.

"Eloi?" The others craned their heads around.

"No! Some other animals that we can eat! They taste even better then Eloi and there is plenty! Plus they don't run away!" Mog was like a hyper child on candy, he danced around, dropping pieces of flesh and dripping blood everywhere.

The Morlocks gathered around him and picked at what was left of the carcass. It was very good and many of them were now craving food badly.

"Where did you find this animal?" Fere tasted some of the flesh herself. "It is very delicious."

The entire colony followed down deeper into the cave, led by Mog and Shikha. The Morlocks hunted as many of the creatures as they could feast on. There were thousands of these animals that swarmed the land. Plenty of meat to go around for them.

Being used to eating underground the Morlocks dragged their prey back into the cavern to eat. Peace was restored and the stuffed Morlocks rested with large stomachs.

Fere nodded in praise to the pair that found this fantastic discovery.

"Maybe now the Time Traveler will leave us alone. We don't have to hunt Eloi no more." Mog dug the red marrow out of a femur bone with a finger.

"That is it!" Fere jumped back up again. "One of us should go back and show him these creatures!"

"I should then." Shikha offered. "I am an Eloi after all."

"Wouldn't the meat rot by the time we get there?" Mog glowered at the fresh bones.

"We could always take a few of the bones like the skull and such." Shikha said.

"Or perhaps just carry a live animal there?" Fere untied a leather rope from around her waist. "I used to use this to lead the Eloi males around or to just tie them up to keep from trouble. Since these animals are so tame you should have no trouble."

"Alright then. We should go fetch one of those muumoo's " Mog called them. "Since they do make those noises."

"I agree we should call them that. Muumoo's!" Shikha laughed.


	24. Chapter 24 The Night of Reckoning

**Chapter 24. The Night of Reckoning

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**

"I have heard the Time Traveler struck once again." An old male spoke among the tired crowd of other Morlocks that were just leaving their shift. "That old colony that stayed hidden closest to him. He had wiped them out completely."

Shadow cursed beneath his breath. He still hasn't told any of them that he had once lived with this brutal beast. They would all surely kill him.

"We should put an end to his deadly deeds then." He snorted at the male. "Then we will have no more worries."

"He has more men I believe and many Eloi to protect him. He has taught them how to protect themselves."

"Well come on there are so many colonies out there! This is one stupid man!" Shadow roared. "I am no longer watching my kind hide away like a flock of sheep! It is time we bring him down. If a thousand Morlocks are not willing to then I will stand alone."

"We will have to talk with the others then." The two Morlocks returned to the depths of the underworld.

At the Time Traveler's house…

Katie rolled up in the sheets on her bed, wanting to stay this way forever. Shandow sat on the edge, his eyes scanned the room at all the strange objects.

"My whole life is screwed." She whispered in English. Being back in this room brought back distant memories she wanted to forget for all eternity. She pushed the covers off and rolled over the pillows. Shandow smiled down at her. He grasped her hand and squeezed it. There was a flicker in his eyes that she had not often seen before.

"I remember the last time I had an Eloi in here." She went on, her eyes narrowed.

She had lack of trust in many of the Eloi males for a good reason. The aggression her father trained in them had warped their minds. His original followers were who she avoided altogether. They were once gentle and suppressed people. Now they had an ugly streak which they were not used to containing. Her father had taught them how to protect themselves. Unlike the Morlocks who were naturally aggressive and knew how to control themselves the Eloi did not.

One of the males, Tago, who had helped save her father from underground when he was fighting off the Morlocks. He threw the first punch that saved her father from being choked to death. He was one of the first that was trained and now he carried an malicious temperament. He always had eyes on Katie when she grew old enough to be desirable. She always refused him as she did to all the other ones. This angered him inside, he didn't show it but she could see it in his eyes.

One night he decided to sneak through the top window by climbing the overhanging rooftop. She had forgotten to lock the window. To Katie's greatest nightmare he wasn't here to just snoop around and beg for her love. He had forced himself on her and held her down with well-built arms and his teeth around her neck. Katie didn't bother to fight after that and only let him have his own way.

George had found his daughter sneaking downstairs sobbing. He was horrified to learn that any Eloi would perform such a low stunt. This was very abnormal at any rate. He picked up his daughter and held her like a baby while Jones checked her over and confirmed it was true.

It was months before she would even sleep in that bed again. Even then she always made sure the window was locked and the door too. She stole a knife from the kitchen drawer and hid it underneath her mattress. Just incase that Tago came back.

George himself gave Tago a good talking to and a few well-aimed blows about the head. He swore if he even went near any of his kids again he would take him to the woods with a gun. Tago didn't bother her anymore. Shadow gave him his own personal warning as well that he would eat him alive with gruesome details.

Katie wiped away tears, trying hard not to relive those moments. Would Shandow ever do that? She would hope not as he is just too gentle.

She stared back at him as he climbed over her to the other available side of the bed and pulled the covers over him. He tried to imitate her sleeping style. She wrapped her arms around his back and rested her cheek on his chest. Shandow cooed to her softly, giving her butterfly kisses on her ears and forehead.

She felt her eyelids give way as she felt sleep shroud her. His heartbeat had slowed down to a steady rhythm. Shandow watched over her till he too fell asleep.

Early the next morning Katie went to shower and change clothing. She decided to wear her tunic instead of her normal clothing. They just felt more comfortable to wear around. Her father opened the door to see who was up there. Katie had almost forgotten about her runaway and Shandow. He was snuggled underneath all the sheets that he had gone unnoticed.

"You silly Eloi get out of this room." He grabbed them both by the collar and herded them out back downstairs. He didn't even recognize Katie. Shandow raced out onto the grass and strutted for his lover. He grabbed her by the waist and twirled her around.

"You surely brightened up to me haven't you?" She laughed. "Well I'm glad that you did."

"Katie lovely." He smiled.

"You remember my name." She wrapped her arms around him and twirled around into the flowers. A small cry from in the house disrupted her flirtation. She snuck quietly into the house again. There she saw her father pick up a baby.

"My Billie." She choked, remembering her son. "How could I forget you?"

She walked slowly into the room to watch her Billie drink from his bottle. She had almost blurted out in English to them but held herself back. Why she didn't want to reveal herself was a mystery. George noticed her and a smile lifted on his face.

"Oh just a baby boy." He set Billie on the ground. The baby hybrid toddled around on the wood floor. He tilted his head back and grinned at Katie.

"Mommy!" He piped.

"No dear boy that's just another Eloi." George couldn't help but feel that this Eloi was different. Something about her he couldn't lay his finger on.

Katie couldn't fight the temptation. She bent over and picked up her heavy Billie. He closed his arms around her and purred.

"Mer fain." She spoke in Eloi to her son.

George bent over at eye-level with the female. "Katie? Is that you?"

Katie nodded. Shandow was peering through the window at her.

"Why didn't you say anything? Why are you clothed like this?" He questioned.

"You almost killed me down there. So many Eloi and Morlocks slaughtered. For once I know what a Morlock feels like." She answered coldly.

"Katie I'm so sorry. I rushed and I just wasn't thinking." He felt his heart skip a few beats.

"You are a monster." She said in the same flat, cold tone. "I'm surprised you haven't thrown my son in the fire as well."

"Katie don't talk like that. He's my grandson I would never hurt him." George growled.

"Yet you didn't mind killing so many children down below. Not to mention running over mothers." Katie snapped. "I'm an Eloi but I know what ruthless murder is."

"What about you? You know what they do to Eloi."

"I was kept for something else." She lowered her eyes and went outside with her son. "They treated me with much kindness."

Shandow followed behind her like a faithful dog.

"I think it's okay if you want to save some Eloi but you don't even stop to think what you are doing. Have you ever thought perhaps why they eat Eloi?" Katie challenged him.

"Well no I haven't at first but I know why now. They don't have any other sort of food."

"Then you just want to starve them all? Shame." Katie kept walking, Billie bopped up and down with every step.

"I know I have many flaws." George couldn't really find much to defend himself against her words. She was right all the way around. He was creating an even bigger mess and his tactics were even more cruel then that of the Morlocks.

A few days had passed since Katie had reunited with her son. Her little Billie reminded her so much of Shadow. They both did the same funny grunting noises and loud snores. She rubbed noses with her cheeky boy and watched him dog-crawl on the floor. Shandow was occupying himself with the picture books. He was so childish, pointing at the pictures with thick exuberance. Billie grabbed the bed sheets to have a better look at this Eloi male. They both had a staring contest with Billie copying his expressions.

"You two are a handful." Katie laughed. "I'm sure you will get along fine."

Jones came flying inside half out of breath.

"Morlocks coming this way. A whole wave of them!"

"I guess they are uprising against us." George grabbed his gun, only a few more cartridges damn!

"No point with that gun. There are hundreds of them, probably thousands." Jones's face was pale and cold.

The trained Eloi outside automated a protective wall in front of the family house. All of them with their own sort of weapon. Slingshots, rocks, some with small whips. The Morlocks eyes glowed like city lights as they appears through the trees and tall grass.

"We are done for." Jones gave up and lit himself a smoke. "I might as well enjoy this last moment."

George's mouth went dry. His children and his wife would die tonight. Maybe they would stick his head on a pole for Morlocks to lavish over like a hunter's buck trophy. Maybe they would savor his flesh and share every sliver of it around to everybody. What revengeful Morlock wouldn't want this treasure?

Weena huddled close to him, crying silent tears into his shirt. The children hid in their rooms under the covers. Katie stood on the porch with her frightened son.

A tall figure plodded to the front of the other Morlocks. It was a horse of all things. A big lumbering draft horse with mud-coated legs. It was Ugly the old heavy roan that George had once owned with one of their kind guiding it. A rusting collar around the Morlock's short neck shown his true identity.

"Shadow?" Jones dropped his cigarette.

The mounted Morlock only gave them a silent glare of contempt as he rounded himself in front of his followers.

"You will no longer play God in these lands." He snarled with rage. "You killed my own family so long ago and proceeded to finish me off. When I heard you have ravaged the hidden colony so close to you that was the finishing blow. You will no longer place fear into our hearts you beast."

The other Eloi threw the first stones, hitting a Morlock upside the face. The cave dwellers charged forward at the small people and slashed with their claws and fangs. George scooped up Weena and charged off behind the house with Katie and Shandow on his tail. The mud slowed them down, causing them to slip and slide across the sticky grass. The rain that started to drizzle, making it worse.

Shadow roared and charged after them, twisting the bit around in Ugly's mouth he swung in front of George and brought the draft to a complete halt. He leapt off of the saddle and onto his prey. George threw Weena out of the way and swung a kick into the Morlock's stomach.

"Now I will kill you and end this feud forever." Shadow opened his mouth with ready, chiseled fangs. The hatred in his red eyes was true.

"Stop it Shadow! You are becoming no better then father!" Katie threw her body against his. His huge hand rose up with claws spread out and slashed her across the back. She yelped and somersaulted across the chewed up grass.

"Perhaps I should finish you off first Eloi." Drool oozed down his mouth as he faced this new threat.

A small cry busted out from behind him. A dirty baby sat there crying from shock of being thrown. Shadow blew hot breath and made for the tiny hybrid. This would be an easy blow. One snap of the neck and the little pest is dead.

"Kill him and you kill your son!" A voice rang out behind him.

"Still talking?" He looked around. George was helping his daughter, trying to drag her to safety. Blood soaked her ivory shirt. She yanked herself away and drug her languishing body towards Billie.

"He is your son! Don't you remember me?" She cried out, knowing she would not be able to save him with Shadow's killing blow so close.

Shadow tilted his muddy head, his glowing eyes seemed to dance in the gentle rain. Billie, still sobbing, crawled as fast as his plump legs would carry him to his mother.

"Katie?" He gaped, not understanding. "Son?"

"Yes our son." Her body lowered to the ground as her limbs grew cold. Only the warmth of the blood coursing down her back still made her aware of what life she had left. "Our son Billie. I found out after you ran away."

Shadow's face emptied as the rain washed away the filth. Despair settled in his dark eyes. He yanked his hand away from his son. Shandow touched the deep wounds on Katie's back, his hand smothered in blood.

George picked up his daughter in his arms and rushed her back inside. He hadn't noticed the Morlocks had all stopped their fighting. They only stared at him upon hearing this new fact. It was simply beyond believing.

Shadow picked up his son and cradled him in his huge arms. Billie shivered, his pleading eyes piercing deeply into his. They were that icy blue like his mother's. He sat on the porch, having enough of fighting.

The others around him didn't fight anymore. What was left of the Eloi stood stiff legged and frozen. They still waited for blows to be rained down on them but none had come.

A pair of Eloi and Morlock arrived on the scene with a strange animal over his shoulder. The Morlocks looked back, their eyes widened at the strange creature. Three more Morlocks followed behind them. Fere with Favul and Fown himself.

"We brought something that would save us all and cease this fighting!" Fere stepped over the body of a dead Eloi. "We found creatures that we could eat on. No longer will we have to feast on Eloi. We both win."

The Morlocks gathered around the creature and petted it's soft, fawn-colored pelt. It only blinked at them, waving it's donkey-like ears around. Jones came out onto the porch just as the creature was placed on the ground.

Shadow turned around, facing Jones. "How is Katie?"

"We are helping her all we can." Jones frowned.

"I wish to see her." He walked upstairs, memories of playing inside the house as a kid flashed before him. His bright and innocent days like a long gone memory of stone fossils. Tears dropped down from his chin, onto Billie's wooly head.

"The only thing now is to wait. Please be strong Katie." He patted her arm. Her face was sickly pale from so much blood being drained. Shadow just wanted to wither away and die right there.

Shadow stood at the doorway with his son snuggled to his breast. All was silent except for the Morlock's talking amongst each other outside.

Jones came upstairs and placed his hand over his shoulder.

"We no longer have to fight."

"What do you mean?" George stroked his daughter's head.

"A pair of Eloi and Morlock found a new creature in their land to eat. No longer will they have to eat Eloi. They are pulling back."

"What?" George looked out the window. For a short moment he burst outside the door to glimpse at this animal. Jones was right. He felt his heart suddenly lift up.

Something else caught his eye that startled him most of all. The pair of Eloi and Morlock with a child just like Billie between them. The Morlock had his arms around her very much like any couple would with the Eloi female cradling her baby.

"Billie?" Katie's voice called out weakly. Shadow sat close by. A light smile appeared on his face.

"He is here."

The blurry image of Shadow and her son seemed like a dream. She blinked, still feeling very weak and cold.

"Shadow? Is that you?"

"Yes I am here. There will be no more wars Katie. Rest easy my love."


	25. Chapter 25 One

**Chapter 25. One

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**

"How is Katie doing?" Jones asked, doing his daily checkup on her health.

"She's doing just fine. Started to walk again." George answered, looking up from his book. "I don't think she will ever be totally strong as she was before but she is stronger then I ever imagined."

On the porch Shadow with his son, Fere, Fown, Mog and Shikha with their daughter sat grouped around each other. BlackStone was also with them with his leg in a stiff cast. He had snooped around in Jones's hidden winery had tried out the bitter juice himself. He was staring off in a drunken stupor but at least his leg didn't hurt so much anymore.

Fere herself was absorbed in the multitude of books Shadow shared with her from the small library inside. She was more into the pictures of long-lost creatures and civilizations then the hieroglyphics all over the pages.

"So this odd-marked animal you call a breza?" She pointed inside a animal dictionary.

"No it's a zebra." Shadow corrected her.

Shikha and Shadow watched as their children tussled at their feet. Favul made it a game to tie Billie's arm hairs into knots. Her mother pulled her hands away and gently scolded her.

"Don't do that. I'm not sure if Billie feels content with pulling them apart." She waved her finger at her.

"Billie likes to do such games. He's a crazy nut-ball himself." Shadow chuckled, giving him a noogie.

"How's Katie?" She asked, still very concerned.

"She's doing very well. She's the strongest person I know." He untied some of the tiny knots from his son's arm.

Fown was stuffing his face with one of the farm chickens he snuck from the coop. "This whatever you call it, chick-en bird is yummy. Such tender meat."

"I'm sure the Time Traveler will love to poke those feathers in your butt and turn you into one yourself." Fere shook her head at him.

BlackStone still moaned now and then, hoping to draw some attention to his wounds. He enjoyed telling his story of his time in the lab over and over.

"When are we going back?" Mog asked Shadow.

"When Katie feels better. I promised her I would wait for her. You guys could go along if you want."

"You don't know the way there." Fere added.

"I also have to gather the others. Master has his Eloi liberated. The word would pass quickly." Shadow stared over towards the mountains. "I will need to fetch my mate as well."

"There will always be Eloi for food. We can't change the entire world." Fere reminded them.

"I know but this is a change." Mog smiled. "Now my mate no longer has to fear."

Katie was dressing herself the best she could. The healing gashes on her back decreased her flexibility. She was deeply afraid of opening them again. Shandow helped her put the tunic back on. The pair have gotten closer now. Shandow was no longer the shallow Eloi she knew when she first met him. He no longer had the desire to mate with the other females as well either. He stuck close by her like a dutiful husband.

"Katie fine now?" He asked, planting a kiss on her lips.

"Yes I am now." She wrapped her arms around him and caressed his face. She was planning on moving back with the other Morlocks to their new home and staying with Shandow. A few of the Eloi followed them as it was their nature. Their fate was different now. The Morlocks ignored them and raised the meat of the new Muumoo creature instead. The Eloi walked among them, nibbling on the fruiting trees, playing, mating and carrying on their simple lives. The few among them that knew how to feed themselves showed the lesser Eloi. Even some of the younger generations of the fair blondes and their once dark enemies started to play with each other. One little Eloi found the simple game of slapping mud-pies on top of a Morlock toddler of his own age a very fun game.

Shandow carried his friend outside with the others. Fere praised him for changing into such a caring gentleman.

"He's changed so much since he met his new friend. Never thought he'd bond with anybody like that." She watched her old stud bend over and cover Katie with kisses again.

"He's a good boy." Katie smiled, twirling his hair tightly around her fingers. "I think I'll keep him." She leaned over to Shandow's ear and whispered future nights to be spent with him.

"Yes I will no longer be needing to breed Eloi." Fere sighed. "I am sort of depressed. Thousands of carefully bred bloodlines now no longer important but I am happy my Shandow is free to wander without fear. The muumoo's proved to be tastier."

George was the last to come outside. The stars were out, shimmering their brightest. The Morlocks got up and stretched out their legs. Fown's hair stood on end as he saw the tall man stand before them. Now he did not seem so evil anymore. Only an old man who's time was coming near.

"It will be time to go soon. We can't linger here forever. It will take several days but there are dugouts along the way. If we walk now we will reach the first one." Fere informed them.

George and Jones offered them a horse for Katie since she was not strong enough to walk yet. The small pony was tacked up by Shadow and brought outside. Katie mounted with Shandow behind her to hold her up. Shadow mounted his big steed with his son in his arms.

"You will be okay Katie?" George tried his best not to show any tears.

"Yes dad." She smiled at him. She reached over and hugged him. "I love you very much. I didn't mean to call you a monster."

"It's okay Katie. You were right about that part. It was a part of me I never wanted to take notice to." He kissed her cheek. "Now you take care now. Visit anytime you want. Along with your other friends."

"Of course I will dad."

The pack headed off across the endless fields towards the mountain chains. There was no one to cheer them goodbye, no medals for their good deeds, nor anybody to record this point in history. Only the silent night and the rustling through the wet leaves reminded everybody that life was just to go on like it always would, forward.

George leaned back against the rail and wiped his eyes. "I will be back later on tonight alright Jones?"

Jones nodded, knowing well what that meant. His old friend was going to go off on another one of his journeys. George opened up the garage where he stowed away his old time machine. It had been a few years since he had taken the last trip in it.

"My old girl." He glided his hand across the railings. He sat on top of the dusty chair and screwed in the crystal lever that helped steer his machine into any time period he desired. For a moment he sat there, brooding in the dead silence around him.

Then he pushed forth the lever, closing his eyes as the day and night sped by. The haziness hovered over his head, he leaned back and watched the centuries, millennia's go by. His house was gone in split second it seemed like. The hills rolled around and the mountains climbed higher as the continent sandwiched itself into tighter folds. He spotted something new in the future he had not seen before. Slowly he pulled the lever back, the sun slowed it's never ending race around the sky. New buildings popped up around him. A new civilization had arrived. Whom was it this time? The Morlocks or the Eloi? He wondered to himself. The numbers on his time machine told him he was ten million years head in time. He stopped his machine completely and saw beautiful and triangular shaped houses with vines shrouding around them. The sun was starting to set, leaving splotches of pink and red in the sky. Flowers everywhere and of course animals. The animal species had grown, recovering from the long ago human intervention.

A giant goat-like animal with horns that were easily over five foot in length twisted over it's back stood tied up to one of the huts. A leather halter around it's head shown it's domesticated nature.

Another animal appeared, this time a humanoid telling by the silhouette it threw off. By the shape of it's contours he could only think of some Eloi descendent. Finally the Eloi had sharpened up and used their brains like their past ancestors have. Then from the shadows came more of the humanoids. Their eyes flashed and glowed with reflection.

"Simbembo fweintakio ir demin." One spoke out to him that stood only a few feet nearby. George spun his head around to see a female. He found her to be a striking specimen. Her hair was long and silvery. Not only from her head but from her arms. It was a good three foot long, falling down the sides from shoulder to wrist like a horse's mane. Her legs and the rest of her body bare from hair. Her face was gently shaped with odd-shaped teeth that meant only vestigial from her once dark dwelling ancestors. Her eyes were a vivid blue that awed him more then fright. Her pupils were large and prodding into his. She was nicely built, not stocky but lithe like that of a lioness. Her lavender clothing was a tunic-like feature of clothing folded around her torso.

She motioned him with her herding stick. Sharp claws on each of her four fingers. Her feet had only four toes as well. He climbed over the rail, taking the lever with him. The female walked alongside him, chattering quietly to the others next to her.

He spent the night with them in observation, not feeling an inch tired. The strange people too stayed up and around, perhaps they didn't sleep at night. Maybe they didn't sleep much at all? All night long they played music with drums and some unique type of violin by flickering fires. The goat-like pack animals lowered their heads with eyes half-closed, mesmerized by the soft tones of the songs.

He noted they sported an omnivorous diet as they hunted the wild animals with amazing hunting skills. They would leap onto the animal's back and supply a killing blow to the spine with a sharp stick. It was usually a short-legged type of deer that they hunted. The fruits haven't changed much from his time period with Weena, only a few different ones and more varieties have popped up.

The next day George decided to make it back home, he finally felt that dark part in his heart vanish forever. The new people of the future gave him necklaces made from animal teeth and feathers to take with him. They did not seem to question his strange machine but simply accepted it. They all circled around him and clapped their hands, singing in choir with each other to his leave.

George smiled, for once it was full and genuine as the day his children were born, the day he fell in love with Weena, their first kiss. It was a smile he longed sought after. His soul renewed once again. He came upon the realization of who these people were. They were not Morlocks nor Eloi but both like his grandson. They had interbred with each other, combined the separated opposites into one conformed unity. They had become one again.

The End


End file.
